Victoria

Akaysha Energy has expanded the scope of its Victorian Elaine battery from 800 MWh to 1244 MWh, growing the project’s capacity more than 50% due to its long duration capability of four hours, pv magazine Australia has been told.

Cimic Group subsidiary Pacific Partnerships has this week energised its 130 MW (DC) Glenrowan solar farm in northern Victoria. Construction on the solar farm began just one year ago, Cimic noted.

Ground-mounted PV is increasingly being investigated not only as a renewable generator, but as shelter for crops and creatures under fire from climate change. Last week’s All Energy conference handed the mike to some pioneers in the field.

US solar tracker company Array Technologies is ready to expand its Australian presence after successfully delivering locally manufactured solar trackers for the 102 MW Glenrowan solar farm in mid-north Victoria.

Asset management company Sosteneo Infrastructure Partners has made its first foray into the Australian renewable energy market, purchasing the 185 MW/370 MWh Koorangie Energy Storage System in northern Victoria from Edify Energy.

Victoria’s State Electricity Commission is officially back as an active energy market participant with the state government revealing the publicly owned enterprise will invest an initial $1 billion (USD 630 million) to help fast-track the delivery of 4.5 GW of new renewable energy and storage projects.

Applications are open for grants of up to $750,000 (USD 479,000) under a new Victorian government program that aims to support Victorian manufacturers to be part of the growing renewable energy supply chain and boost the production of renewable energy products and components.

Victorian hydrogen company Energys has unveiled its third-generation, locally-manufactured Hydrogen Fuel Cell Generators, five of which are to provide backup power for Telstra’s remote telecommunications towers as part of a Victorian pilot. The company says it is already constructing a green hydrogen generation plant too, supported by funding from the Victorian government.

An Australian software startup that aims to make it easier for energy providers and solar installers to assess the feasibility of commercial-scale renewable energy projects will now pursue global expansion plans after completing a seed funding round.

Victoria’s High Court has deemed the Victorian government’s tax on electric vehicles “invalid”, saying Australia’s Constitution enshrines that only the Commonwealth government has the power to enforce such taxes.