Australia

Australia’s transition to renewables is gathering speed, but there’s a looming problem with storage. We will need much more long-duration storage to get us through the night, once coal and fossil gas exit the system.

Vena Energy has announced the commissioning of Taiwan’s largest PV project to date with the developer confirming the 272 MW E2 Solar Project, which it says will be capable of contributing up to 4% of the island nation’s total solar energy output annually, is now fully operational.

The Australian Energy Market Operator will undertake a trial of real-time inertia measurement technology in Victoria as it looks to ensure reliability and stability across the electricity network as more renewable generators come online and coal-fired power continues to exit the nation’s energy mix.

Record solar production – from both large-scale and rooftop PV – helped drive average wholesale energy prices in the National Electricity Market down during the first quarter of this year according to the latest update from the Australian Energy Regulator.

Construction of Australia’s largest energy transmission project is powering ahead with the foundations for one of the biggest substations in the Southern Hemisphere being poured in New South Wales while in South Australia the largest transformers in the state’s high voltage network are now being installed.

All of the leading countries for per capita solar and wind generation are in Europe except for Australia, which is generating more solar electricity per capita than any other country. Per capita, it is also a leading producer of wind energy.

The federal government has followed the release of its first electric vehicle strategy with a flurry of funding commitments designed to drive an increase in the number of zero-emission cars on Australian roads and in turn decarbonise the nation’s transport system.

Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy, released this week, details the government’s long-awaited plans to accelerate the adoption of these vehicles.

Origin Energy will “within weeks” begin building the first stage of a planned 700 MW/2,800 MWh grid-connected battery energy storage system being developed at the site of Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant that is set to be shut down in less than 28 months.

Construction of the 400 MW Stubbo Solar Farm being built near Dubbo in the New South Wales central west is scheduled to start next month with developer ACEN Australia launching the tender process for a suite of works packages associated with the $800 million PV project.