Energy Storage

Australia is geologically equipped to become a battery critical-minerals hub but the nation is stumbling upon sticky structural issues. Sensitive diplomatic and trade ties, delicate forests and ecosystems, and a devotion to free markets and small government are among the major hurdles, writes Bella Peacock.

Canadian firm Hydrostor has struck a deal to provide back-up power to the remote New South Wales outback town of Broken Hill using a compressed air energy storage plant that will be built in an underground cavern at one of the region’s closed mines.

A “major influx” of new renewable generation and storage capacity is poised to connect to Australia’s main grid with the energy market operator revealing almost 150 projects representing more than 31 GW of new capacity are in the application and pre-registration stages.

EnergyAustralia has released the concept design for a 335 MW pumped hydro energy storage and generation project it plans to develop at Lake Lyell near Lithgow in central western New South Wales.

AGL and Australian battery recycling startup, Renewable Metals, have signed a deal to investigate the viability of building a lithium battery recycling facility at AGL’s envisioned Hunter Energy Hub, formally one of Australia’s most significant coal centres.

BloombergNEF says it has recorded a 14% decline in battery prices this year, mainly due to cheaper raw materials, following an unprecedented rise in 2022.

For the seventh year in the row, China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) looks set to claim the title of the world’s biggest battery maker. There are a number of reasons why it continues to maintain its lead in the electric vehicle (EV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) markets.

Through a co-funding deal with Victoria’s newly revived SEC, Equis Development has reached financial close and begun construction on phase 1 of its giant 1.2 GW Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub. Plans for the hub, which includes gigawatt hours of storage, seem to have shifted somewhat, with phase 1 now three independent batteries of 200 MW with either two- or four-hours of storage.

Planning permits have been granted to two large battery projects by Victoria’s planning department: the existing Elaine Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) by Akaysha Energy has been approved for expansion at its four-hour energy battery, and Flow Energy’s BESS project at Bennett’s Creek that will further transform the former coal country into a hub for 24/7 renewable energy.

A fire at one of Australia’s biggest lithium mines has left it unable to process ore for the past days. The fire at Mineral Resources’ Wodgina mine in Western Australia has since been brought under control and the company says shipping will not be impacted.