Articles written by Blake Matich

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Applications & Installations
Key takeaways from Abu Dhabi’s World Future Energy Summit The World Future Energy Summit showed that Middle Eastern solar markets are still driven by utility-scale PV, although the C&I sector shows signs of growth. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are the most promising markets for big solar projects, with huge pipelines under development, while Lebanon and Yemen show promise due to chronic energy shortages.
Blake Matich, Emiliano Bellini
Jan 23, 2023
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Applications & Installations
Solar proves common thread among Zayed Sustainability Prize winners The opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 was not short of inspirational rhetoric, but the winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize provided some real-world examples of what action on the local level really looks like.
Blake Matich
Jan 17, 2023
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Markets & Policy
UAE energy summit serves as a trial run for COP28 The United Arab Emirates is treating Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, which includes the World Future Energy Summit, as a trial run before the nation hosts the COP28 climate talks in November.
Blake Matich
Jan 16, 2023
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Markets & Policy
Australia funds ultra-low-cost PV future The strength of applications for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s ultra-low-cost solar research funding round was so strong that the agency had to add AUD 1.5 million ($1.03 million) to its original allocation. The strength of competition pushed the process into 2023, but the 13 research projects aiming to achieve ultra-low-cost solar have now been awarded.
Blake Matich
Jan 04, 2023
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Applications & Installations
Neoen presses ‘go’ on construction of fourth Australian big battery France’s Neoen has begun construction on its 200 MW/400 MWh Western Downs Battery in the Australian state of Queensland. It is Neoen’s fourth big battery in Australia and brings its storage portfolio to 776 MW/1,279 MWh in operation or under construction. 
Blake Matich
Jan 02, 2023
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Applications & Installations
2022 review in trends: Applications (Part II) The first part of this review covered solar-wind hybrid projects, offshore floating PV, and islandable microgrids. The second part covers trends in projects and applications.
Blake Matich
Dec 29, 2022
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Markets & Policy
2022 review in trends: Applications (Part I) It has been another bumper year when it comes to innovative projects and applications in the solar and energy storage sector. But within that larger trend of innovation are a number of other trends to keep an eye out for.
Blake Matich
Dec 28, 2022
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Puerto Rican resilience Before Puerto Rico had a chance to recover from Hurricane Maria, in 2017, it was rocked by earthquakes and then, in September 2022, the island was struck again – this time by Hurricane Fiona. These disasters severely impacted Puerto Rico’s infamously fragile power grid, but have emboldened local communities to take power into their own hands through solar and battery storage, and increasingly in the form of microgrids. Compelled by catastrophic circumstances, Puerto Rico must now push toward energy resilience and in the process may see itself become a model not just for other islands, but mainland grids as well.
Blake Matich
Dec 08, 2022
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Markets & Policy
Australian supply chains would benefit from addressing modern slavery issue Australia’s Clean Energy Council and law firm Norton Rose Fulbright have published a white paper arguing that the country’s renewable energy supply chains could “benefit significantly” from a concerted effort to address forced labor.
Blake Matich
Dec 05, 2022
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