South Australia's big battery fleet achieved a world-leading 40% share of instantaneous demand during the evening peak, delivering a record 611 MW, surpassing California's recent peak. The state leads in wind and solar energy, aiming for 100% net renewables by 2027. The batteries provide grid stability, allow for time shifting of excess renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The addition of a new transmission link to NSW will further support the state's transition to cleaner energy sources, with synchronous condensers and large batteries ensuring grid stability and steady power feeds for industrial operations. The increasing share of battery discharge and integration of large scale solar-battery hybrids are key steps towards a more renewable energy future.
Category: Buildings & Electricity
Cut Emissions:
– Enhance Efficiency
– Shift Energy Sources
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When solar meets next-gen nuclear
Researchers in China have proposed a scheduling framework for microgrids that integrates solar power with small modular nuclear reactors to improve short-term dispatch capability and long-term economic viability. The framework utilizes multi-objective distributionally robust optimization and real-time reinforcement learning to co-optimize photovoltaic and SMR generation. The system includes a generator, battery, electrolyzers for hydrogen production, and an energy management system to make decisions based on forecasts and real-time data. The proposed optimization framework reduces operational costs by 18.7% and carbon emission intensity by 37.1% compared to conventional fossil-dominated microgrids, while enhancing critical load supply reliability to above 98% across all uncertainty scenarios. Researchers have developed a new operational strategy for microgrids that combines demand response optimization with reinforcement learning to adapt to real-time environmental changes, allowing for flexibility in managing energy imbalances and reducing reliance on carbon-intensive backup generation. The coordination between short-term battery storage and long-term hydrogen storage enhances cost-effectiveness and reliability.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/25/when-solar-meets-next-gen-nuclear/
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Wind-PV-powered heat pump for low-energy residential buildings
Researchers from China have developed an optimized energy management strategy for a hybrid wind-PV heat pump system with thermal and electric energy storage. The study found that adopting seasonal interaction management strategies improved power-to-load interaction and enabled zero-energy performance. The optimal system configuration includes PV modules, wind turbines, batteries, and heat pumps. The research showed significant improvements in system performance and cost savings with the implementation of the optimized energy management strategy, resulting in a reduction in system integration factor, levelized cost of electricity, and carbon emissions, while increasing self-consumption ratio.
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New England kicks off $450M plan to supercharge heat pump adoption
Five New England states have launched the $450 million New England Heat Pump Accelerator initiative to promote energy-efficient, low-emission heat pumps as an alternative to fossil fuels for heating. The goal is to increase adoption of heat pumps in the region, reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 million metric tons by 2030, and support the installation of 580,000 residential heat pumps. Contractors are being incentivized to keep cold-climate air-source heat pumps and heat-pump water heaters in stock, which will lower upfront costs for consumers by $500 to $700 per unit for heat pumps and $200 to $300 per unit for water heaters. These incentives aim to simplify the purchasing process and help lower residents' energy bills while cutting emissions.
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Big solar grabs record 30.6 pct share of Australia’s main grid, before being shunted aside by rooftop PV
Large scale solar farms in Australia have reached record shares on the main grid, but are now being overshadowed by rooftop PV causing curtailment during the day. To address this issue, new large scale solar projects are incorporating integrated batteries to store excess energy for evening peaks. Australia's first solar hybrid plant in Cunderdin is feeding power into the grid during evening peaks, with more solar-hybrid projects to follow. Large scale solar in NSW reached record shares, marking progress towards a cleaner energy grid.
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Blue State Steps Up To Save Farmers With Solar Power
New Jersey has launched a Dual-Use Pilot program to demonstrate the benefits of agrivoltaics, combining solar power and farming to maximize land use efficiency and provide new revenue streams for farmers. Rutgers University is leading the initiative, aiming to install 200 megawatts of solar power on farmland. Despite challenges like navigating state incentives and land conservation regulations, the program could lead to more farms adopting solar power in New Jersey. The state's innovative approach to solar development, including rooftop capacity and emerging trends like gas station and balcony solar, is helping progress towards renewable energy goals. Dual-use solar power offers a promising solution to support farmers and generate additional revenue while addressing the shrinking farm size in New Jersey.
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/23/blue-state-steps-up-to-save-us-farms-with-solar-power/
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The impact of electron irradiation on PERC, TOPCon solar cell performance
UNSW researchers have found that electron irradiation significantly degrades the bulk minority carrier lifetime of silicon solar cells, leading to up to a 60% drop in efficiency. The study identified vacancy-vacancy defects as the main radiation-induced defects affecting the cells. They emphasized the need to increase radiation tolerance in commercial space silicon solar cells, with p-PERC cells showing superior radiation tolerance compared to p-TOPCon cells. Front-junction architectures were found to perform better than rear-junction designs in terms of radiation damage. The findings were presented in the study "Electron radiation-induced degradation of silicon solar cells" published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, highlighting various degradation mechanisms and vulnerabilities in TOPCon solar cells.
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Solar sidewalks in Canada cut urban emissions 98%, claim scientists
Research from Concordia University in Montreal suggests that integrating solar panels into sidewalks could be an effective way to create a green city. The study proposes using sidewalk-embedded photovoltaic panels to power local electric vehicle-based delivery networks and food logistics, while traditional solar sites are used for community gardens. The 15-minute city model aims to bring daily needs closer to residents to reduce fossil-fuel-consuming trips. The research, focusing on the impacts of sidewalk PV panels, found that a small area of panels could power the entire urban mobility system and significantly reduce emissions. The model also incorporates vegetable crops into the urban landscape, creating a self-sufficient cluster for certain vegetables.
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Efficient solar PV cooking with sand-based thermal energy storage
Scientists in Ghana have developed a solar PV-powered steam cooker with sand-based thermal energy storage, achieving a thermal efficiency of 38.9% and a payback period of 4.5 years. The system utilizes sand for its thermal stability and low cost, with the potential to reduce emissions and support Ghana's climate targets. Testing showed the system could cook large quantities of food efficiently and reliably, with a lifecycle cost analysis indicating significant cost savings compared to traditional biomass stoves. The integration of steam cooking with sand-based TES in solar PV-electric systems is a novel approach with promising results for sustainable cooking solutions. The Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Technology Consultancy Centre, International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer, and Entrepreneurship, and Cape Coast Technical University are likely involved in technology and innovation related to climate solutions.
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Cement Has a Serious Emissions Problem. This Startup is Solving It
Massachusetts startup Sublime Systems has developed a new cement production system, Sublime Cement, that eliminates the use of fossil fuels and carbon-heavy limestone, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of cement production. Meeting the ASTM Code C1157 standard, Sublime Cement has a lower global warming potential compared to Ordinary Portland Cement, gaining support from leading companies like Microsoft. The building industry is shifting towards sustainable products, with Sublime's distribution channel partner program connecting contractors with low-carbon materials. Despite challenges, new decarbonization pathways such as calcined clay and photosynthetic microalgae are emerging globally, indicating a growing trend towards sustainable cement production.
https://triplepundit.com/2025/sublime-systems-cement-carbon-dioxide-emissions/