Oceania

The way has been cleared for construction to begin on a 250 MW / 500 MWh battery energy storage system that will help “future proof” the Australian Capital Territory’s energy supply by reducing the load on Canberra’s electricity network and increasing network reliability.

Renewable energy solutions provider Smart Commercial Solar has unveiled a “ground-breaking” hybrid microgrid that combines 3.98 MW of PV, 4.4 MWh of battery energy storage and an 11 kV private distribution network to help power a large-scale poultry farm in southwest New South Wales.

Electricity and gas provider Alinta Energy has received the tick of approval from the Western Australian government to begin construction of a second battery energy storage facility at Wagerup in the state’s southwest.

Australia’s leadership in hybrid solar and battery energy storage solutions features prominently in a new whitepaper released by global energy company Hitachi Energy, which examines trends and technology solutions for more modular and distributed networks.

Western Australia has locked in federal government funding to build a minimum 6.5 TWh of large-scale solar and wind projects and 1.1 GW of new storage to help ensure the electricity grid remains stable as the state continues its renewable energy transition.

The Australian arm of Philippines-based energy company Acen Corporation has launched the approvals process for a major grid-connected solar and battery energy storage project to be built near the town of Cooma in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region.

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners’ plan to build a ‘state-of-the-art’ polysilicon manufacturing plant in north Queensland has taken a step forward with Australian Silica Quartz starting a drilling program at a planned mine site that could provide feedstock for the proposed multibillion-dollar facility.

Australian mining and energy giant Fortescue announced last week that its ambitious green energy goal – to produce 15 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually by 2030 – will be placed on hold.

Australia’s energy ministers have agreed to the development of the national consumer energy resources roadmap to give consumers control over their energy needs, while unanimously rejecting nuclear as too expensive and too slow to meet emissions targets.

An industry data exchange co-design is putting consumer energy resources at the beating heart of Australia’s energy marketplace, prompted by a 2050 projection of 86 GW of rootfop solar and 27 GW of flexible demand in the national electricity market.