Australia

SGC and SMO say they plan to install 100 MW of solar waste-to-energy systems in Australia. They aim to deploy a total of 50 waste-to-energy units in the next three years, with plans to scale up to 1 GW in the future.

Zen Energy has secured approval from Australia’s WaterNSW to investigate how to transform Sydney’s biggest water storage facility into a 1 GW pumped hydro project capable of supplying on-demand power for up to eight hours.

S-5!, a supplier of mounting systems, plans to release two new mounting components for rooftop PV systems, including a new mount that allows for module-level power electronics to be attached directly to solar panel frames.

The Australian federal government has unveiled plans for a Future Made in Australia Act, proposing taxpayer-funded incentives to advance renewable energy industries, manufacturing, and infrastructure to stake the nation’s place in the global clean energy race.

Building a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry based on Australian innovation could generate up to 60,000 jobs and help cement the nation’s future as a renewable energy superpower. However, access to capital and focused policies are essential if manufacturers are to reach scale where they can be internationally cost-competitive.

Chinese manufacturer Jolywood is currently applying a laser-assisted firing process in TOPCon solar cell manufacturing that can reportedly increase contact quality and corrosion resistance, while also reducing production costs. Scientists at the University of South Wales have investigated the impact of this production process on the quality of TOPCon cells and have found it “significantly” improve their reliability.

MAN Truck & Bus says it will deliver 200 hydrogen vehicles to customers in Europe and some non-European countries by as early as 2025, while Provaris has revealed plans to develop a gaseous hydrogen import facility in Rotterdam.

Australia’s energy sector is undergoing a notable shift with new data from market analyst Sunwiz showing a record surge in utility-scale battery energy storage projects above 10 MWh in 2023, while residential and commercial installations also reached new highs.

Fortescue has officially opened a 2 GW hydrogen electrolyzer factory in Australia and has followed that by also confirming plans to set up a 50 MW green hydrogen production plant in the state of Queensland.

Conceived by a group of scientists in Australia, the novel online tool can be modified for different regulatory environments. The program’s user interface asks for seven input files with a resolution of 30 minutes.