Acciona gets regulatory nod for 250 MW Queensland solar project
Queensland’s independent Coordinator-General has given its tick of approval for the construction of a 250 MW solar project proposed by Spanish renewable energy developer Acciona Energy.
Supreme Court rules Queensland solar installation regulation invalid
The Supreme Court of Queensland has ruled that a state government regulation requiring licensed electrical workers to mount and fix unplugged solar panels is invalid.
Protectionist measures working as Chinese export destinations shift
While the world’s biggest solar manufacturers are confident there are plenty of alternative markets for a rising volume of panel exports, the message spelled out by first-quarter shipment figures is that protectionism works.
Upstream majors to lead the charge in renewables investment
Renewable energy investment in the APAC region, excluding China, will overtake spending on oil and gas exploration and production spending by 2020, finds Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy. And Australia is set to emerge as one of the leading investment destinations.
Solar among major winners in Victorian budget
Rebates and zero-interest loans for solar panels, solar hot water systems and batteries account for one of the major spends in Victoria’s 2019/20 budget and come at a cost of $1.3 billion.
Electric vehicles help slash payback periods for residential PV
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis has estimated the effect on the payback period of PV systems when adding EVs and storage in Germany and Britain. In both cases, system owners are likely to reduce their payback period by significant margins as increased self-consumption can offset the incremental phase out of government incentives.
WA establishes Energy Transformation Taskforce, backs battery metals exploration projects
Western Australia’s government says nearly a third of successful applicants in the latest round of the state-backed commodity exploration scheme hopes to discover battery materials. In other news, the state government has established the Energy Transformation Taskforce in response to the energy sector’s transition from coal to renewables and distributed energy resources.
Redflow readies for smart grid project in China, infrastructure rollouts in Australasia
The Brisbane-based energy storage company has been contracted to supply its zinc-bromine flow battery solution for a smart grid projects sponsored by China’s National Energy Bureau. It has also secured a preferred supplier status with New Zealand-headquartered Soul Energy to provide batteries for the first of a number of expected infrastructure projects throughout Australasia.
Developers take Queensland government to court over new solar installation rules
The developers of the 35 MW Brigalow Solar Farm are challenging the new solar installation rules introduced by the Queensland government.
Scientists cast light on how potassium can fix perovskite cells
Doping perovskite solar cells with potassium is said to eliminate interface trapping defects and mobile ion migration. ‘Hysteresis suppression’ is key for more efficient cells based on the promising material.
