Energy Storage

Construction has started on Western Australia’s second grid-scale battery in Kwinana as the state government looks to scale up energy storage capacity to support its planned transition from coal-fired power to renewables.

Western Australia’s virtual power plant Project Symphony pilot has been boosted by the commission of a new community battery in the Perth suburb of Harrisdale.

Australian renewable energy startup Green Gravity has teamed with underground mining contractor RUC to accelerate the commercialisation of its gravitational energy storage technology which rests on moving weighted objects through disused mine shafts.

Australian developer ACEnergy is building an initial portfolio of 10 neighbourhood batteries totalling 50 MW/100 MWh across Victoria and New South Wales. The company is also engaging networks to lobby for reforms to the connection process and tariff structure in light of grid support the technology can offer.

Australian renewable energy developer Genex Power has entered into agreements with Japanese electric utility J-Power to receive a multi-million-dollar funding package that will support the delivery of its 2 GWh pumped hydro project in northern Queensland and the development of the 2 GW Bulli Creek solar and battery project in the state’s southeast.

The South Australian government is calling for input from industry and consumers to help it determine what role rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles, green hydrogen and other renewable technologies will play in its future energy system.

The Australian government’s green bank has tipped $100 million (USD 66 million) in to help fast track the development of the 850 MW/1,680 MWh Waratah Super Battery Project that is set to play a significant role in the nation’s shift from coal-fired generation to renewables.

New South Wales will be the test bed for the Commonwealth-funded Capacity Investment Scheme with the federal government to underwrite investment that will help deliver almost 1 GW of firmed renewable energy capacity to support the state’s rapidly changing energy market.

George Hilton, research manager at S&P Global, spoke to pv magazine at the recent Intersolar 2023 trade show about the latest energy storage trends. He said the industry needs easy-to-install products and more efficient supply chains, and noted that battery prices are highly volatile because they fluctuate in response to changes in the dynamic Chinese electric vehicle market.

Over the next five to 15 years, batteries will undercut the business case for major transmission and interconnector projects. These assets will nonetheless likely be built, decreasing price spreads and eating into the revenues of batteries, solar and storage analyst Warwick Johnston predicts.