Western Australia

Western Australian renewable energy company Plico Energy’s bold ambition to develop a grid-scale virtual power plant has received a major financial boost with Swiss investment firm SUSI Partners committing to provide capital for the rollout of 10,000 integrated solar-plus-battery systems.

In an Australian first, up to 100% of daytime operations at two major iron ore mines have been powered entirely by renewable energy after power utility Alinta Energy switched on the 60 MW Chichester Hub Solar Farm in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

Perth-based Hybrid Systems Australia has opened its new much-expanded facility in the Western Australian capital ahead of significant expansion in the outlay of its stand-alone power systems to regional and remote parts of the state.

Hydrogen industry developers in Western Australia and Queensland are set to benefit from a federal government-funded initiative with three new regional hydrogen technology clusters identified to further support the growth of Australia’s green hydrogen industry.

Western Australia has today announced the launch of its $35.5 million Virtual Power Plant trial, Project Symphony, which will examine the ways in which residents, utilities, and network operators can join forces to centrally orchestrate the output of rooftop solar, batteries and other distributed resources to best serve both customers and the grid at large.

Western Australia has become the second state to give network operators the capacity to remotely switch off residential solar systems as an emergency grid stability mechanism.

Australian energy storage company VSUN Energy claims to have identified the ‘missing piece of the renewable energy jigsaw’ after successfully testing a standalone electric vehicle battery charger using solar PV supplied by a vanadium redox flow battery.

Australian governments and industry have embraced the potential of green hydrogen with a flurry of project announcements, including the Western Australian Government providing almost $120 million to establish two renewable hydrogen hubs, Edify Energy signing of Memorandum of Understanding to explore the feasibility of establishing a hydrogen export facility in Queensland, and the Federal Government collaborate with Germany on a new initiative designed to accelerate the development of Australia’s green hydrogen industry.

The owner of the 100 MW Merredin Solar Farm in Western Australia has confirmed it will look to accelerate its roll out of renewable energy projects in the Asia-Pacific region after raising more than $34 million in Series A financing.

A torbanite mine proposed for central Queensland is hitching itself to renewable energy, presenting its accompanying 50 MW solar farm as centrepiece of its plan.