Synthetic inertia put to test with Wallgrove big battery registered
The ability of grid-scale batteries to provide fast frequency response and synthetic inertia services to the National Energy Market will be put to the test with infrastructure service provider Lumea confirming commissioning of the 50 MW/75 MWh Wallgrove Grid Battery in Western Sydney has commenced.
Innovative Australian battery materials projects gain momentum at home and abroad
A number of Australian battery material recovery projects got off the ground this week, including the completion of Western Australian outfit Neometal’s battery recycling demonstration plant, a Queensland-Japanese joint venture studying the extraction of cobalt from copper tailings as well as the funding of Sydney-based startup Novalith.
Converting coal mines into gravity-based renewable energy storage facilities
U.K.-based Gravitricity is planning to deploy its gravity-based energy storage solution at a decommissioned coal mine in Czechia. The project is part of a plan to commence a full-scale, 4-8 MW prototype scheme in a disused mine next year.
Philippines’ AC Energy finds another way to grow its renewable energy holdings in Oz
After a failed bid last year to gain control of Australia’s Infigen Energy, Philippines-based AC Energy takes over its partner’s 51.6% stake in UPC\AC Renewables.
Weekend read: Australia’s “massive” hydrogen storage potential
Underground hydrogen storage seems to be coming up a lot lately, and with the burgeoning hydrogen industry needing somewhere to store itself, it’s not hard to understand why. One of the countries with the best credentials for the future hydrogen economy is Australia. A newly published report has quantified the country’s “massive opportunity” for underground hydrogen storage.
Made-in-WA cathode precursor plant gets underway
Construction has begun on a manufacturing pilot project to see battery-grade nickel, cobalt and manganese for precursor battery cathode materials (PCAM) in Perth. The facility is expected to be completed in early 2022 and is one of a number of developments that will look to establish Western Australia (WA) as a materials supplier to the growing battery manufacturing industry.
Providence to trial hydrogen-lithium battery at solar farms
Australian clean energy investment firm Providence Asset Group will roll out hydrogen-lithium battery technology at its solar farms after partnering with the Commonwealth Bank to fund a portfolio of 10 community-based solar plants in regional Victoria as part of the group’s larger ambitions to develop up to 40 ~5 MW solar farms across the eastern states.
Sun Cable names ‘global experts’ to deliver massive solar+storage project
Singapore-based Sun Cable has unveiled a powerhouse line-up of international engineering and advisory companies to help it deliver the world’s biggest solar PV and battery energy storage project being developed in Australia’s remote far north.
New Horizons secures contract for WA’s biggest battery
Italy-headquartered energy storage specialist New Horizons Ahead has been awarded the contract to build a 100 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at the site of the decommissioned Kwinana Power Station near Perth in Western Australia.
Report finds co-located hubs key to battery industry competitiveness
A report from Australia’s Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre which analysed the development of battery hubs in the U.S., Germany and Japan, has found that co-location and cooperation between industry and government were key to hub success. For Australia to play the same game, it will have to leverage its wealth of resources, and clean up its act along the way.
