Western Australia

Western Australia is set to exit coal-fired power by the end of the decade as state-owned power provider Synergy will close its two remaining coal plants by 2029 in response. Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said coal was no longer viable due to the high-penetration of solar, particularly rooftop. McGowan also announced a $662 million boost for the coal-town of Collie’s industrial transition and $3.8 billion in statewide renewable investment, with a focus on energy storage.

Australian battery minerals company Liontown Resources has completed negotiations to supply electric vehicle and battery maker Tesla with spodumene concentrate from its Kathleen Valley lithium project in the Goldfields region of Western Australia.

Western Australia’s City of Stirling has fast tracked its investment in an estimated $6 million solar PV program in a bid to maximise potential savings and reach its goal of sourcing 100% of the city’s electricity needs from renewables by 2030.

Kallis Energy Investments has confirmed it will shelve its proposal to build a 6 GW renewable hydrogen project in Moolawatana, South Australia, due to water supply issues.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan and Energy Minister Bill Johnston were in attendance yesterday when Horizon Power and Pacific Energy officially opened the Shark Lake Renewables Hub, which features 4 MW of solar alongside wind turbines, battery energy storage and a gas power plant.

Australian renewable energy project developer Frontier Energy has identified its preferred electrolysis technology as it advances plans to produce green hydrogen powered by renewable energy sourced from the potential 500MW Bristol Springs Solar project it is developing in Western Australia.

Western Australian energy storage company VSUN Energy has inked a deal with aspiring renewables developer North Harbour Clean Energy which will see the two companies collaborate on the development and installation of vanadium redox flow battery projects and vanadium electrolyte supply.

Australian liquor supermarket chain Dan Murphy’s has continued its deployment of rooftop solar PV as parent company Endeavour Group pursues its ambition to power all the of retailer’s more than 250 stores across the country with 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

Australian miner IGO is claiming an Australian first in its joint venture with China’s Tianqi Lithium after producing battery grade lithium hydroxide, a key component in rechargeable battery technology, at its Kwinana refinery in Western Australia.

The hydrogen electrolyser subsidiary of German giant Thyssenkrupp has opened a new office in Perth, Western Australia in a bid to capture some of the region’s green hydrogen frenzy.