Buildings, particularly those with glass facades, are getting closer to self-powering, according to Australian scientists who recently developed a 15.5%-efficient, semi-transparent solar cell that allows more than 20% of visible light to pass through.

The operator of the 150 MW/193 MWh Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia has been fined AUD 900,000 ($620,470) for failing to provide essential services to maintain the stability of the grid.

Australian renewables startup Okra Solar has raised $3 million to scale up distribution of its solar-based hardware and software solutions. It aims to electrify more than 290,000 off-grid homes in Nigeria over the next three years, while also expanding its operations in countries such as Haiti.

Sun Cable’s massive AUD 30 billion ($20.7 billion) Australia-Asia PowerLink project has passed another major milestone by obtaining approval from Infrastructure Australia.

Australian Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen has declared that the nation is now “under new management,” with plans to “unleash private investment” in renewables projects.

The government of the Australian state of Queensland has committed AUD 48 million ($33 million) to develop two pumped hydro projects.

Philippines-based Prime Infrastructure Holdings has unveiled plans to construct a massive solar farm and energy storage project featuring up to 3.5 GW of PV backed by up to 4.5 GWh of battery energy storage in the Southeast Asian nation.

About 1 million New South Wales households will be able to apply for an upfront payment of almost AUD 3,000 ($2,153) to put towards a solar system or energy-saving upgrades to home appliances as part of a new state government program designed to reduce energy bills as power prices soar.

With architects and construction companies across the world showing an increasing interest in building-integrated PV, one Australian company has outlined plans to clad an eight-storey building being constructed in West Melbourne with a “solar skin” that will generate almost all of the building’s base power.

5B has completed a AUD 30 million ($21.8 million) Series B funding round with its existing shareholders to help fund the development of its flagship modular Maverick solar array, while also accelerating the progress of the company’s pipeline of multi-megawatt projects.