A parliamentary inquiry has been told Australia’s ageing transmission network “urgently” needs upgrading to deliver new solar PV and wind power to cities as the nation’s transition to renewable energy generation continues to accelerate.

The world’s biggest solar PV and storage project is set to get even larger with the Singapore-based Sun Cable announcing it plans to increase the renewable energy generation and storage capacity of the $26 billion Australia-ASEAN Power Link being developed in northern Australia.

As technology redefines the delivery of network services, grid operators in remote areas the world over are searching for more cost-effective and reliable alternatives to traditional poles and wires. Standalone power systems are the solar application that is at the forefront of the switch, and they’re ramping up fast.

Victorian distribution network provider United Energy will deploy 40 custom-built community batteries across Melbourne’s southeast as part of an $11 million project designed to better manage the increasing penetration of rooftop solar PV and periods of peak demand on the network.

The Australian Energy Market Operator will later this month commence testing of a cloud-based simulator designed to accelerate the grid connection process for developers of energy projects including large-scale wind and solar.

Residents in the West Australian town of Kalbarri are set to welcome the state’s largest renewable energy microgrid with state government-owned utility Western Power confirming commissioning and an operational trial of the hybrid system is due to commence next month.

Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization plans to use its Newcastle Energy Centre – home to the largest high-concentration solar array in the Southern Hemisphere – as a demonstration site for its newly announced net-zero emissions targets.

Australian electricity gen-tailer EnergyAustralia is exploring the benefits of microgrid technology, teaming with property developer Villawood Properties to establish a solar PV-powered microgrid community in Melbourne’s north that could see residents reduce their power bills by more than 50%.

Researchers at The Australian National University claim to have set a world record for bifacial solar PV cell efficiency that they say could boost the energy output of solar farms by 30%.

The Australian government’s green bank has reaffirmed its intent to evolve beyond investing in solar and wind, expanding its focus to include green hydrogen, energy storage and transmission projects after finalising a string of investment firsts in the past 12 months.