Markets

New Zealand battery technology company ArcActive is planning to establish a manufacturing plant in Australia within 18 months that will be capable of producing 30,000 lead acid-based residential energy storage systems per year.

Australian renewable energy businesses and technology manufacturers are in the box seat to play a pivotal role in the Asia Pacific region’s green economy transition but they have been urged to build their understanding of the market landscape so they are equipped to seize the opportunities on offer.

Two major critical minerals projects in Queensland and South Australia are to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government loans as the Commonwealth seeks to deliver the building blocks for a ‘future made in Australia.’

Applications for the first West Australian tender under the Commonwealth government’s recently expanded Capacity Investment Scheme will open mid-year with an initial target of 2 GWh of renewable energy storage projects.

The first access rights for up to 6 GW of new solar, wind and storage capacity in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone are now on offer as the New South Wales government continues to progress Australia’s first coordinated renewable energy zone to reality.

The Queensland government has committed $2.5 million to progress the development of an “Australian first” solar panel recycling scheme in preparation for the “thousands” of PV panels installed on rooftops and across large-scale solar farms in the state that are approaching end of life.

Australia has firmly established its status as a global leader in residential solar deployment with 35% of all houses having already installed rooftop systems but new data reveals there is almost 50 GW of “untapped PV potential” on residential buildings across the country.

The company behind the 250 MW / 2 GWh Kidston pumped hydro project being developed in north Queensland has given the tick of approval to a $381 million takeover bid from Japanese energy giant J-Power.

Australia’s largest energy retailer Origin Energy Limited (Origin) has entered into an agreement with Belgian company Virya Energy to acquire the Yanco Delta renewables project that comprises an 800 MWh battery energy storage system coupled with a 1.5 GW wind farm in southern New South Wales.

Australian-owned renewable energy investor and developer Quinbrook Infrastructure has announced financial close and the start of construction on a 250 MW / 500 MWh battery energy storage system that will form the first stage of a $2.5 billion renewables-powered data storage precinct in Queensland.