New entrants to Australia’s utility-scale and commercial battery market
While Australia’s home battery market seems to have attracted most of the interest from newcomers, there has been some significant new developments in the commercial and utility-scale space. Pv magazine Australia examined the new products and companies in the commercial and utility battery storage space on display at the Smart Energy Conference.
WA backs big batteries to support energy transition
The West Australian government will plough almost $3 billion (USD 2.03 billion) into renewable energy generation, storage and transmission projects with modelling revealing more than 50 GW of new generation and storage capacity will be required in the state’s main electricity grid within the next 20 years.
India’s green hydrogen demand to reach 2.85 MMT/year by 2030, says USAID
A new report from the South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) of the United States Agency for International Development, better known as USAID, says India’s green hydrogen demand will reach 2.85 million metric tonnes (MMT) per year by 2030.
US solar installers list Qcells, Enphase as top brands
An industry survey led by SolarReviews and NABCEP found two-thirds of solar installers expect high electricity prices to drive demand.
Construction completed on NSW’s biggest battery to date
Construction has been completed on what is, for now, New South Wales’ largest battery system. The 150 MW / 300 MWh Riverina and Darlington Point energy storage systems are made up of three co-located units and owned by private equity fund manager Federation Asset Management and Edify Energy.
Clean energy takes centre stage in federal budget, industry reactions
The Albanese Labor government has delivered its 2023 – 2024 budget, placing energy front and centre. The budget takes the government’s total spend on making Australia a renewable superpower to $40 billion (USD 27 billion). While many in the industry have applauded the budget, there are some glaring contradictions.
Key takeaways as big batteries in Australia hit 1 GW
Australia recently hit it first gigawatt of big battery storage, with another 40 GW in the projected pipeline. During the Smart Energy Conference, Marija Petkovic, founder and managing director of Energy Synapse, looked at what we’ve learned so far.
‘At least’ 500 MWh of DC-coupled batteries coming to east coast under new partnership
Chinese inverter and storage company Sungrow and Australian developer Green Gold Energy have signed an agreement to collaborate on “at least” 500 MWh of battery storage projects within the next three years – most to all of which will be DC-coupled. Relatively new to Australia’s grid-connected battery landscape, DC-coupled batteries will soon be able to trade on lucrative FCAS markets thanks to imminent rule changes, providing a firmer foothold for the technology in Australia.
Swiss team sets record solar-to-hydrogen rate
Researchers from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have unveiled a new solar dish plant design, while Plug Power has delivered its first electrolyser system to Europe.
Australia warned of over-mining risk in rush to secure critical minerals
Australia is at risk of over-mining key transition minerals by relying on “overblown” demand assumptions, according to a new report which warns policy steps to encourage responsible and sustainable use of critical minerals, such as improved battery recycling, are being ignored.
