microgrid

Australia’s energy sector is undergoing a notable shift with new data from market analyst Sunwiz showing a record surge in utility-scale battery energy storage projects over 10 MWh in 2023 while residential and commercial installations also reached new highs.

The South Australian government has announced the locations for two community batteries that are to maximise the local use of cheap solar, reduce pressure on solar-heavy grids and pave the way for more rooftop PV.

Solar access will be expanded throughout regional Western Australia with state-owned energy provider Horizon Power announcing plans to roll out “state-of-the-art” internet-connected technology that will help balance energy on regional microgrids.

Victorian electricity distributor Powercor has identified a clutch of towns in the state’s central highlands region as possible hosts for community-scale microgrids as it works to deliver improved energy security and reliability for customers across the state.

Western Australian regional energy provider Horizon Power will trial two novel long-duration energy storage technologies – including a zinc-bromine flow battery provided by Queensland manufacturer Redflow – as it seeks to identify new energy storage solutions for off-grid communities dealing with high levels of solar and extreme weather.

Battery technology company Lithium Australia’s 100%-owned subsidiary Envirostream is seeking to scale up its battery recycling efforts, signing an updated agreement with South Korean manufacturer LG Energy Solution in a move that could deliver 770 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries for recycling.

Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney, Deakin University and Murdoch University have developed a reconfigurable multi-microgrid system that can better respond to the changing load profiles by leveraging the power of V2G technology.

The Queensland government has announced plans to deliver the key infrastructure and support microgrid feasibility studies in five remote townships as it seeks to promote energy sovereignty for communities on the edge of the electricity grid.

New South Wales electricity distributor Ausgrid is exploring the potential of solar-powered microgrids to enhance energy security for communities during extreme weather events and extended outages with construction having started on what will be the company’s first microgrid.

The largest integrated off-grid solar and battery storage facility in Australia when it was deployed, the DeGrussa solar and battery hub in remote Western Australia has reached end of life with asset owner Neoen confirming it is now planning to remove the more than 34,000 solar panels and rehabilitate the site.