Murdoch Uni explores unmanned ground vehicles for solar plant monitoring
Researchers in Western Australia have reviewed 36 mobile inspection robots for ground-mounted PV plants and have identified six commercial ground robots that are systematically used for this task. Their work presents the robots according to different types of locomotion, navigation technologies, communication technologies, and market status.
Freight provider rolls out electric trucks on metro routes
National transport and logistics company Centurion has added 20 battery-electric trucks from Daimler to its fleet with the new heavy vehicles powered using energy from a 4.4 MW rooftop solar installation and 10.3 MWh battery.
Feedback sought on hybrid projects in next CIS tender for Western Australia
On the cusp of Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 2 – WEM Dispatchable successful proponent announcements, the federal government now calls for feedback on how to approach hybrid projects in the pending 2025 WEM Tender for Western Australia, opening mid-2025.
Cook serves up $387 million residential battery rebate scheme
The Western Australian government has moved to accelerate the uptake of residential battery energy storage systems, announcing it will introduce a $387 million rebate scheme to encourage the installation of household batteries to store and utilise extra power generated by rooftop solar.
Hybrid solar vanadium battery system withstands Australia’s harsh weather
Energy solutions company Australian Flow Batteries has rolled out its containerised solar vanadium battery system in Western Australia, which can be stowed in less than an hour to protect modules during the region’s annual cyclone season.
PV windows reduce energy consumption in greenhouses by 57%
Developed by a research team including experts from West Australia-based specialist Clearvue, the new PV windows were also able to reduce water usage in a greenhouse by 29%. The group believes that a fully glazed solar greenhouse could offset up to 100% of the energy consumption in worldwide locations by using adaptable and efficient temperature control techniques.
Tesla plans battery ‘re-manufacturing’ plant for WA
Tesla is to expand its presence in Australia with a “re-manufacturing” facility to be built at Collie in Western Australia’s southwest to service its grid-scale and residential battery energy storage products.
Australia’s longest connected electric vehicle highway completed
Australia’s longest connected electric vehicle highways is now operational in Western Australia, covering a 7,000 kilometre route and featuring 110 charging points across 49 locations.
Planets align for Australia’s first live DER integration into wholesale markets
Manager of Western Australia’s South West Interconnected System Western Power has been allocated $20.8 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency for its Project Jupiter, which for the first time in Australia will integrate a live distributed energy resources marketplace with wholesale markets.
Remote solar-array powers EV charger 1,600 kilometres north of Perth
West Australian energy company Powerhouse has completed the install of a 60 kVA, off-grid solar array in the state’s far north, to power a remote electric vehicle charger as part of the 7,000 kilometre long WAEV Network project.
