Oceania

Addressing climate change means enduring some economic pain in the early part of this century to avoid worse outcomes in the long run. But recently the narrative has shifted from pain to opportunity.

A grid-connected community battery has gone live in Sydney’s western suburbs with New South Wales electricity distributor Endeavour Energy trialling the technology as a means to maximise the benefits of rooftop solar generation and more efficiently manage supply and demand in the network.

As the world grapples with escalating environmental concerns, the need for sustainable solutions becomes increasingly vital. Anaerobic digestion technology has emerged as a powerful tool that not only addresses waste management challenges, but also significantly contributes to a more sustainable environment.

Transgrid, Australia’s major grid operator, plans to soon launch a competitive process to procure grid support services from third-party battery operators as it looks beyond traditional network infrastructure to help maintain the reliability of electricity supply in two growth regions in New South Wales.

The Australian government has committed $50 million to support the development and diversification of clean energy supply chains in the Indo-Pacific as it seeks to increase manufacturing opportunities and enhance energy security in the region.

Construction of Australia’s largest electricity transmission project continues to roll on with network operator ElectraNet announcing it has achieved more than 70% completion of the South Australian component of the 900-kilometre EnergyConnect project that will link power grids across three states.

Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries has made its first major move in the United States since the passage of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, outlaying $34.42 million (USD 24 million) to purchase the ‘fast-to-market’ Phoenix Hydrogen Hub being developed in the American state of Arizona.

The New Zealand arm of United Kingdom-based renewables company Harmony Energy is seeking to accelerate the development of three solar farms that would add almost 300 MW combined generation capacity to the nation’s energy grid.

Western Australia’s electric vehicle fast-charging network continues to roll out in regional areas with the first of eight planned EV fast chargers for the Kimberley now operational in Broome.

Tesla has filed a lawsuit in a United States federal court against Australian energy technology company Cap-XX alleging its supercapacitors infringe two U.S. patents owned by Maxwell Technologies, a subsidiary of the EV and battery manufacturing giant.