Utility Scale Storage

Lake Onslow, New Zealand, could become home to one of the world’s largest pumped-hydro storage facilities. A local consortium is now conducting a feasibility study and is investigating possible system designs and precise locations.

Oil and gas giant BP will take a 40.5% stake in the 26 GW Asian Renewable Energy Hub megaproject proposed for Western Australia’s north coast.

UK scientists have compared the performance of lithium-ion storage systems and vanadium redox flow batteries for a modeled 636 kW commercial PV system in southern California. They have found that both technologies, coupled with an oversized PV array, could achieve a levelised cost of electricity of less than US$0.22/kWh (AU$0.32/kWh), while offering a self-sufficiency ratio of 0.95.

Edify Energy has completed the financing for its grid forming 150 MW / 300 MWh battery energy storage system. The system will be made up of three separate batteries in the Riverina region of NSW which have gained approval to operate in ‘virtual synchronous generator’ mode.

The Queensland government has committed $48 million to progress two pumped hydro projects in the state, declaring energy storage will play a critical role in its push towards a renewable energy future.

The rollout of rooftop solar in the western suburbs of Melbourne is set to get a boost with Victorian network service provider Powercor identifying the site where it will install a community battery that is expected to unlock more than 129MWh of solar PV hosting capacity.

Philippines-based Prime Infrastructure Holdings has unveiled plans to construct a massive solar farm and energy storage project featuring up to 3.5GW of PV backed by up to 4.5GWh of battery energy storage in the Southeast Asian nation.

The New South Wales government has invited registrations of interest from renewable generators, energy storage and network developers, and existing and proposed energy loads, to participate in shaping a renewable energy zone to be established in the Illawarra region on the state’s south coast.

Australian redox-flow battery specialist Redflow has upped the ante on its plans to expand into the United States market, announcing it has completed testing that will pave the way for its battery energy storage system to be used in conjunction with hybrid inverters manufactured by United States solar engineering company Sol-Ark.

An international research team has proposed the use of water from high-altitude rivers and regenerative braking in electric trucks to store electricity for reuse in power networks, or for transport purposes.