Australia’s largest energy retailer Origin Energy Limited (Origin) has entered into an agreement with Belgian company Virya Energy to acquire the Yanco Delta renewables project that comprises an 800 MWh battery energy storage system coupled with a 1.5 GW wind farm in southern New South Wales.

The broad contours of the federal government’s plan to introduce a Future Made in Australia Act foreshadow several positive directions. But the approach also holds clear risks and unanswered questions which will need to be addressed as the plan is fleshed out,

Australian-owned renewable energy investor and developer Quinbrook Infrastructure has announced financial close and the start of construction on a 250 MW / 500 MWh battery energy storage system that will form the first stage of a $2.5 billion renewables-powered data storage precinct in Queensland.

The 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 Australia’s place in the global clean energy race.

The head of one of Australia’s largest energy generators, retailers and developers has pointed to rising costs and uncertainty about recovering those costs as the cause of a drop in investment for large-scale renewables that threatens Australia’s clean energy goals.

Mounting system provider S-5! is to boost the size of its Australian catalogue with the impending launch of 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.

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 but access to capital and focused policies are essential if manufacturers are to reach scale where they can be cost competitive internationally.

Construction has officially commenced at Spanish renewable energy developer Acciona Energia’s 380 MW Aldoga Solar Farm being developed near the industrial centre of Gladstone on the central Queensland coast.

Queensland government-owned network operator Powerlink has completed construction work on the transmission infrastructure that will pave the way for more than 2 GW of renewable energy assets in the state’s southeast to connect to the National Electricity Market.

Fortescue has awarded energy infrastructure provider GenusPlus Group two contracts worth a combined $50 million to deliver transmission infrastructure as the mining giant works to decarbonise its iron ore operations in Western Australia.