Northern Territory

The sale of renewable energy developer Sun Cable, which is aiming to deliver the world’s biggest intercontinental solar and storage project in northern Australia, has received initial takeover offers from multiple investors, including prospective buyers that aren’t existing shareholders in the project.

Remote power system specialist Circular Solutions is poised to begin work on a new solar farm and battery energy storage system that will more than double the PV generation capacity at the small community of Wurrumiyanga on Bathurst Island off Australia’s northern coastline.

Two of Australia’s richest people are expected to be rivals in the bidding process for Sun Cable, the developer of what would be the world’s biggest intercontinental solar and energy storage project, with administrators indicating the sale process could be completed within three months.

The Northern Territory government remains upbeat about the future of the $30 billion-plus (USD 20.7 billion) Australia-Asia PowerLink project despite the company behind what would be the world’s biggest solar and energy storage project having abruptly entered voluntary administration.

Australian miner Core Lithium has made the transition to lithium producer with 15,000 tonnes of unprocessed ore from its Finniss mine in the Northern Territory now heading to China where it will be converted into materials for the global renewable energy storage and electric vehicle markets.

Described as a “masterclass” in shareholder activism, Perth-based mining technology company TNG Limited, owner of the major vanadium Mount Peake Project, has had its leadership team collapse with former AFR columnist elected as the new director, winning 95% of the vote during the company’s AGM.

Civil and building works have now been completed on the site of the Northern Territory’s $45 million (USD 30.2 million) big battery, known as the Darwin-Katherine Battery Energy Storage System. The 35 MVA battery is being delivered by Hitachi Energy and will deploy Virtual Synchronous Machine technology, allowing it to provide virtual inertia and system strength services to the grid.

Core Lithium’s Finniss Lithium Project just south of Darwin’s Port opened this week, supplying battery-grade lithium to electric vehicle giant Tesla, among others. Core Lithium plans to open processing facilities at the site by early next year.

A 2.8 GW solar-powered green hydrogen export project being developed on the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory has taken the next step towards securing environmental and planning approval with developer Provaris Energy lodging an assessment referral with the federal government.

Former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner plans to focus on developing “world-changing, economy building” clean energy projects in Australia’s north after accepting a new role with mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s renewable energy company Fortescue Future Industries.