Solar

The European Patent Office says China has overtaken other countries in photovoltaic patent filings over the past 15 years, while European startups and universities retain a lead in agrivoltaics and niche solar applications.

Researchers at the CSIRO have proven a new full thermochemical hydrogen production cycle – from solar input to hydrogen output – has the potential to achieve a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of higher than 20%, 5% more than many existing systems.

Recent studies forecast Australia is on the precipice of a rooftop solar and household battery boom, predicting record breaking installation numbers driven by falling battery and solar module prices, government rebates and cost-of-living pressures.

United States-headquartered private equity group Carlyle has launched a new clean energy infrastructure platform focused on developing and operating a portfolio of utility-scale renewables projects in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Australian government initiative REnew Pacific in partnership with disaster relief organisation Respond Global are installing 20 off-grid solar power systems and refurbishing 20 additional health facilities in Vanuatu, to enable reliable 24/7 electricity in some of the island nation’s most remote communities.

Renewable energy developer CleanPeak Energy has announced its 7.5 MWp Moama Solar Farm is operational, which partly fulfils a commitment to a $48 million agreement helping to keep Barangaroo Precinct in Sydney carbon neutral.

The location of large-scale solar farm developments can play a significant role in protecting biodiversity says a new report that charts a path for clean energy projects to avoid areas with conservation value and alternatively explore the benefits of agrivoltaics.

A 61 MW off-grid hybrid system powering the Tropicana gold mine in Western Australia is reporting better than expected performance outcomes from the 24 MW solar farm, grid-forming 13 MW battery energy storage system and 24 MW wind turbines.

An international research team studied the solar PV impact of emissions from a coal-fired power plant in the Atacama Desert, Chile finding that after five months of exposure, the deposited dust on co-located PV panels reached a maximum of 1.63 mg/cm2 with a 23 % reduction in photocurrent. The accumulation at the co-located plant was 3 times greater than nearby PV sites with similar coastal climate conditions.

The March 2025 Solar Choice Price Index shows solar panel prices per watt nationwide, except in Tasmania, continue to follow a trend since December 2020 of remaining below the $1 mark, and currently sit at $0.90 per watt.