Energy Storage

iSwitch, Singapore’s largest green energy retailer, and one of the city-state’s top three retailers overall, has emerged as the first potential customer for the $25 billion Sun Cable Project. This pledge is the second significant boost for the project in the last week after tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes declared he would help fund the project.

As part of a broader push to develop a domestic hydrogen industry, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $2.9 million for two studies into using solar and wind-powered hydrogen for ammonia. Both project are located in Queensland and presently use natural gas as feedstock.

The showpiece 3.6 GW Fengning county project which will offer grid services and back-up power at the 2022 Winter Olympics is part of a 31.15 GW construction pipeline of projects, many of which are set to come into service next year.

Despite a lack of initiative for the residential battery uptake on the federal level, action on the state and territorial level has been vigorous. In the run-up to the launch of the NSW subsidy scheme, sonnen CEO of APAC Nathan Dunn is talking about the manufacturer’s experience with other subsidy schemes in Australia and what it takes for a successful program.

Australia’s chief scientist Dr Alan Finkel continues to voice his support for some modicum of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Australia’s hydrogen future, providing a lifeline to fossil fuel producers. While Finkel’s argument holds some water, it holds nowhere near enough water to produce a hydrogen economy. 

The China-headquartered battery manufacturer has opened a new assembly facility at Lonsdale, as part of its commitment to the South Australian Government’s Home Battery Scheme. Alpha-ESS batteries will form part of a new virtual power plant launched into the market this week by ShineHub and energy retailer Powershop.

Australia’s chief scientist Dr. Alan Finkel continues to push Australia toward a strong hydrogen economy produced by solar and wind through electrolysis. However, Finkel remains attached to the idea that toxically unpopular carbon capture and storage methods, a lifeline for fossil fuel producers, should also play a part.

Why is electric aviation still up in the air? Or rather, why isn’t it up in the air? We have Teslas on our roads, Melbourne’s trams are powered by solar, and trains are connected to the grid already, but why is electric aviation lagging behind?

While short of impressive in terms of size, the 9 MW project located near Moree is touted as one of Australia’s smartest solar farms. The project features both DC optimisers and DC coupled battery for central inverters.

Canada’s Hydrostor has closed US$37 million (AU$54,6 million) in growth financing. The company plans to use the funding to complete construction of the 5 MW/10 MWh Angas Project in South Australia and to advance its 2 GW pipeline of large-scale advanced compressed air energy storage projects.