The New South Wales government has launched a $275 million initiative to stimulate local production and manufacturing of renewable energy generation, storage and transmission components as it seeks to deliver on the state’s clean energy ambitions.

Former Australia prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has been awarded a contract to develop two large-scale pumped hydro projects on water reservoirs owned by the New South Wales government in the Hunter Valley.

Big batteries now dominate the provision of the frequency control ancillary services required to maintain power system security in Australia’s main grid but demand side services company Viotas says there is room for more players in the increasingly lucrative market.

The South Australian government has struck a deal with GFG Alliance to explore a green hydrogen offtake agreement as the company seeks to phase out coal-based steelmaking at its Whyalla iron and steel plant in the state’s Upper Spencer Gulf.

Researchers from the University of New South Wales have rejected suggestions that end-of-life solar panels will create a “waste mountain” in Australia, saying instead that they could serve as valuable material reservoirs for future production.

Global energy storage technology company Fluence has more than 1 GW of battery projects operating or under construction in Australia and it is now broadening its strategy beyond hardware to include optimising asset performance and servicing.

Commonwealth Bank-backed energy retailer and technology company Amber Electric has raised $29 million (USD 18.9 million) in capital that is earmarked to scale the business in Australia and to take its battery and electric vehicle automation software offshore.

The economic benefits of integrating battery energy storage solutions in commercial settings have been highlighted by Relectrify which has released data showing that a recently commissioned 120 kW Revolve battery has reduced the customer’s import of energy from the grid by more than 94%.

The severe heatwave that moved across Australia in recent weeks, initially in Western Australia, Queensland and then New South Wales, highlights that it is only going to get tougher to maintain a secure, reliable electricity system as our climate warms and demand for energy continues to increase.

Genex Power has tapped PCL Construction as its preferred engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the up to 775 MW first stage of the Bulli Creek solar project being developed in southeast Queensland.