Weekend read: Dawn of virtual transmission
Quick and versatile, batteries are providing a growing number of services to homes, businesses, and on the grid. Electricity network operators are beginning to adopt grid-scale batteries, with the initial applications potentially opening the way for renewable energy to flow more freely and across larger distances than ever before.
Vanadium flow battery electrolyte focus of three year industry-backed study
West Australian company Technology Metals Australia, or TMT, will work with the government-backed Future Battery Industries agency to develop enhanced electrolytes for vanadium redox flow batteries. TMT will provide both the feedstock for the research as well as funding and hopes to eventually leverage the project’s findings.
Largest DC-coupled hybrid project in Australia acquired by Spanish company in major expansion strategy
Spanish power and gas provider Naturgy has acquired its first PV project in Australia – the Cunderdin hybrid solar + storage project east of Perth in WA. The project is set to be the country’s largest DC-coupled project to date.
Energy Renaissance moves ahead with battery giga-factory
Australia’s first lithium-ion battery giga-factory is expected to begin operations soon with battery manufacturer Energy Renaissance announcing the successful completion of a $1.47 million pilot program designed to develop and test its manufacturing processes, systems and plant design.
US battery manufacturer enters Australia through 1.7 GWh deal with BlackRock’s Akaysha
US battery company Powin has agreed to deploy 1.7 GWh of energy storage systems in Australia over the next two years after entering a partnership with Victorian developer Akaysha Energy. The news tops a big month for Akaysha which was acquired by US giant BlackRock two weeks ago.
Decade of unreliability: renewable projects and transmission ‘urgently’ needed as Australia stares down coal closures
The Australian Energy Market Operator warns every Australian jurisdiction in the national grid could see electricity demand outstripping supply within the decade – though only if anticipated renewable projects do not come to fruition.
Hydrostor’s 500 MW/4 GWh compressed air storage project
Hydrostor has selected an engineering company to provide front-end studies for a 500 MW compressed air energy storage project in California.
Investors register 17 GW of renewable energy projects for Illawarra REZ
Renewable energy investors have proposed more than 40 new clean energy projects totalling more than 17 GW of generation and storage capacity for a coordinated renewable energy zone to be established in the Illawarra region on the New South Wales south coast.
Territory targets more solar as work begins on $45 million big battery
Construction has commenced on a $45 million grid-scale battery storage system that will support further uptake of solar PV among households and businesses in the Northern Territory and help the government achieve 50% penetration of renewables into its energy supply by 2030.
Queensland’s biggest battery reaches full commercial operations
The biggest battery yet connected to the grid in Queensland has commenced full commercial operations with developer Vena Energy announcing it has flicked the switch on the 100 MW/150 MWh Wandoan South battery energy storage system in the state’s south-west.
