Utility Scale Storage

Renewable energy is the cherry on top of a 25-year plan to secure Australia’s future 100% free of coal-generation where grid-scale renewables, storage and distributed solar, backed by gas, will secure the national electricity market for a predicted 313 TWh of demand by 2050.

New South Wales power grid owner Transgrid is looking at rolling out up to 14 synchronous condensers and 4.8 GW of batteries with ‘grid forming’ capability to protect and strengthen the security and stability of the electricity grid as coal-fired power plants retire and more renewables come online.

Australian renewables developer Edify Energy is planning to take advantage of existing infrastructure to maximise its access to the national electricity grid by building a 200 MW solar farm and four-hour duration battery energy storage system near the Callide coal-fired power station in central Queensland.

Australian infrastructure developer Pacific Partnerships has added one of the largest proposed solar farms in Australia to its growing portfolio, purchasing the development rights for the 700 MW Cobbora Solar Farm and co-located battery energy storage project planned for western New South Wales.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has eased forecasts of a looming capacity shortfall in Western Australia’s main electricity grid but has warned of the need for “substantial and sustained” investment in renewables to replace coal-fired power stations and meet surging demand from customers electrifying their operations.

The Quorn Park Hybrid Project, that will comprise an 80 MW solar farm and two-hour battery energy storage system, is expected to commence full operations in early 2026 with developer Enel Green Power Australia announcing the construction phase will begin within the next quarter.

Ibrahim Ariffin and JP Grayda, from Afry Management Consulting, examine two promising ASEAN markets, the Philippines and Malaysia, and the challenges they face as they strive to hit renewable energy targets. The long-term outlook is broadly positive, despite some uncertainties.

AGL Energy has followed suit with Origin Energy to say it will shift from direct investment into renewable energy generation toward decarbonisation targets, favouring alternatives like pumped hydro, gas and batteries.

Pacific Blue Australia has turned the sods on construction of its $100 million, 60 MW / 130 MWh grid scale battery at Clements Gap in South Australia and is the company’s first storage system scheduled to commence operation in 2026.

Renewables developer Frontier Energy has boosted the duration of the 80 MW battery energy storage system planned for the Waroona Renewable Energy Project being developed near Perth by 12% to 4.5 hours. The first stage of the project is to also include a 120 MW solar farm.