Grids & Integration

A new research project being led by the University of New South Wales will investigate how rooftop solar PV and other distributed energy resources (DER), including small-scale batteries can be best integrated into Australia’s power grid.

AGL has announced a joint venture with the UK’s Ovo Energy for exclusive Australian rights to its Kaluza smart energy platform. The partnership comes at a time when grid stability is a hot topic and energy management systems are a key tool for owners of rooftop solar to optimise their investment.

As distributed PV grows, new grid codes have scared installers across some markets. Network operators want to gain control over grid export, even of smaller arrays. Additions of new array controllers and special gateways could be costly putting speedy development of PV at risk. Fret not, says Fimer, as the Italy-based power-electronics manufacturer has placed the solution to the problem already inside its latest inverter range.

The Australian Energy Market Commission, Australia’s energy rule maker, today released its draft determination on how to integrate energy technologies like solar and batteries into the electricity grid. In the draft, the Commission revived its proposal for a solar tax, immediately stirring backlash.

AGL’s nose pushes in front in the race that stores the nation with the announcement that construction on its 250 MW one-hour-duration battery at the site of its Torrens Island power station in South Australia is now underway. The announcement follows directly on from AGL having lodged a planning application for a 200 MW battery at its Loy Yang power station in Victoria.

MinterEllison’s second annual ‘Renewables Investment Report’ finds that over the past year Australia has become a safe haven for investment… The maturity of its renewable opportunities seems to outweigh existing challenges. 

Battery capacity in the distributed and large-scale sectors continues to grow, according the annual reckoning of the SunWiz oracle. Although still a complex proposition, for homeowners, battery potential is beginning to be utilised in the hundreds of megawatts by governments and utilities, with some interesting side hustles in the mid-sized energy-storage category.

Have we reached a tipping point, from building the case with mining companies for deploying renewable energy … to where renewable energy is helping to build the case for mining?

When coupled to gigawatt-scale solar and wind generation, green hydrogen could be the clean fuel to unlock hard-to-electrify sectors of the economy. But first it must be transported cost-effectively to where it’s needed.

Experts from the Australian National University have published a technical paper in which they argue a doubling of the rate of deployment of solar and wind would cut Australia’s carbon emissions 80% by 2040.