Oceania

UNSW researchers have found that annealing copper-plated contacts in heterojunction solar cells creates only localized stress. Their analysis also showed that, at typical annealing temperatures around 200 C, the probability of silicon fracture is very low.

One of Australia’s biggest battery energy storage projects has powered up with renewables developer Equis Australia confirming that the 600 MW/1.6 GWh Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub in Victoria is now fully operational.

Excellence was on display across all eight categories in the pv magazine Awards 2025 with plenty of innovation in both established and new market segments. From world-firsts to second-life solutions, this year’s winners brought cutting edge solutions to challenges facing solar and storage. The time has come to reveal the winners and highly commended finalists…

Fire forced the shutdown of the Wellington North Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia, on the weekend, but officials expect the 400 MW facility to resume full operations “shortly.”

Australian solar distributor OSW Group has enhanced its free solar, battery design and installation business tool, GreenSketch version 3.0 with new AI-powered features, that simplify and accelerate workflows.

State-owned generator Stanwell and Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners signed memorandums of understanding to deliver a 780 MW / 6,240 MWh CATL battery energy storage system integrated with 1,080 MW of gas turbines at the Gladstone State Development Area in Queensland, Australia.

Australian installer MyEnergy Engineering says its 200 kW/280 kWh hybrid microgrid in remote William Creek, South Australia, won a national 2025 award for systems over AUD 1 million ($661,200), after overcoming extreme heat, distance, and off-grid engineering constraints.

The latest monthly update from market analyst SunWiz shows 279 MW of new rooftop solar capacity was registered across Australia in November 2025, up 28 MW on the 251 MW that was installed during the previous month.

Chinese manufacturer Sunman is to build a 500 MW per annum solar module production facility in the New South Wales Hunter Valley after securing funding support from both the state and federal governments.

Australian researchers developed a high-resolution energy modeling framework to assess how PV and batteries can supply 24/7 electricity to heavy industries, considering cost, grid interaction, and load flexibility. They found that, while technology cost reductions help, smart grid integration and flexible industrial operations are far more effective in lowering electricity costs and enabling 100% renewable energy use.