Energy Storage

U.S. start-up EnerVenue has secured funding to build a gigafactory to produce nickel-hydrogen batteries for large scale renewable and storage applications. The battery has an efficiency ranging from 80 to 90%, depending on the cycle rate, and its energy density per square foot is equal to, or better than lithium-ion batteries, according to the company.

Power and water are a classic utility couple. SA Water has switched up the relationship with another solar plant energised in its massive solar rollout that is set to save on both costs and carbon.

Until this year, Lord Howe Island was totally reliant on diesel generation for its electricity. A solar powered hybrid microgrid, integrated into the island’s supply since April, has now been declared a resounding success.

The rollout of large-scale batteries in Australia continues with electricity gen-tailer EnergyAustralia issuing a call for a project partner to help deliver the Wooreen Energy Storage System to be built in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.

Australian renewable energy developer ACE Power has called on the federal government to set clear policy and emissions targets as it looks to make an impact on the nation’s transition to renewables with an estimated 1.3 GW portfolio of large-scale solar PV, wind and battery energy storage projects in development.

The Queensland government today announced it’s given the go-ahead for what will be the state’s first vanadium mine, Multicom Resources’s $250 million Saint Elmo mine. The government also earmarked the North West of the state as potential vanadium hub with other mine plans progressing.

Queensland-based data centre operator Edge Centres has announced its first off-grid 100% solar-powered centre for Victoria, taking the new company’s centre total to five as it forges ahead with plans to transform regional Australia.

A roadmap to rapid carbon emission reduction has suggested the nation add 2.4 GW of generation capacity next year as part of a 15 GW new-solar target this decade. The claims of solar-plus-storage should be ignored for now, according to a new policy document, because batteries will make PV less competitive with coal.

A couple of years ago Central Queensland, at the heart of coal country and the nexus of manufacturing opportunity, became a beacon to energy advisory firm Energy Estate and international renewables developer RES. Moah Creek Renewable Energy Project, the first stage of their gigawatt-scale firmed renewable energy project is about to be introduced to the community.

The highly polarised debate regarding renewable energy and action on climate change that has too long been a feature of the Australian political landscape could change, and change quickly, says Saul Griffith. The entrepreneur, scientist, and energy analyst is adding author to his job description next month with the release of his book “Electrify”, and he’s betting on a rapid transformation of the discussion within Australia as the advantages of “electrifying everything” become clear.