Grids & Integration

Australia’s first national Capacity Investment Scheme auction has been inundated with expressions of interest, with the federal government revealing that investors have tabled 40 GW of new renewable energy generation projects such as wind and solar.

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.

It’s time to assess curtailment, as rising amounts of excess generation are being wasted in several markets. This can be problematic for the solar industry but Toby Couture and David Jacobs, coordinators of think tank Global Solar PV Brain Trust, argue that curtailment is not always bad.

Over the next three years energy retailer and tech company Amber Electric will trial a software solution for electric vehicle smart charging and bi-directional vehicle-to-grid services to enable consumers using their cars can buy and sell energy to the grid.

The first of 18 electric buses to be manufactured in Perth as part of a joint $250 million Western Australian and federal government initiative has been rolled out as the state pushes ahead with plans to decarbonise its public transport system.

A “nation first” local renewable energy zone will be established on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast as part of a pilot program designed to boost rooftop solar generation, store it and share it locally across the poles and wires infrastructure that already exists.

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.

Queensland network operator Powerlink is claiming a first for the Asia-Pacific region after partnering with Australian technology company Infravision, which uses drones for aerial power line installation, to connect a renewable energy project in north Queensland to the national grid.

Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation’s ambition to be a key player in Australia’s clean energy transition has received a boost with the Western Australian government fast tracking approval for a 150 MW solar project in the Pilbara.

Spanish renewable project developer Solarig has signed an agreement with Australian electricity and gas company Jemena to collaborate on the development of green hydrogen projects, dropping a pin on regional New South Wales.