AVESS will demonstrate its VFB prototype at Atlantic’s world-class Windimurra Vanadium Project, located 670km north of Perth and 80km from Mount Magnet, Western Australia.

Related article: AVESS to build vanadium flow battery plant in South Korea

The demonstration will integrate AVESS’ VFB prototype and solar PV into an existing disconnected microgrid to power non-essential loads on the Windimurra Vanadium Mine campsite.

The Atlantic partnership signifies a transformational opportunity for AVESS to validate its VFB technology with a proven vanadium developer while cementing AVESS’ position in the Australian mining sector and growing its VFB market share.

The two businesses will now work towards regulatory approvals and definitive agreements.

AVESS Energy managing director Young Yu said, “We are grateful for this opportunity to showcase our VFB, and we look forward to growing our partnership with Atlantic.

Related article: AVESS rebrands, reveals five-hour vanadium flow battery

“The deployment of our 50Kw/250Kwh VFB at Windimurra represents a significant milestone for AVESS Energy.

“This exciting partnership is another step towards the development of the local vanadium supply chain.”

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Publicly owned energy company Stanwell is partnering with Tesla and Yurika to build the giant 300MW/1200MWh system capable of supplying energy into the grid for up to four hours.

Related article: Queensland Government doubles capacity of Stanwell battery

The mega battery project will include 324 lithium-ion Tesla Megapack 2XL units which will be transported on trucks to site and craned into place.

The project was recently supercharged with a $448.2 million funding boost from the Queensland Government’s Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Job Fund, with the Premier and Energy Minister announcing in May it’s capacity would be doubled.

Work has also reached the halfway mark on Stanwell’s first dispatchable energy (storage) project, the $514 million Tarong mega battery project, part of what will be the Tarong Clean Energy Hub.

Stanwell CEO Michael O’Rourke said, “Dispatchable energy assets like our Stanwell and Tarong big battery projects are critical as we transform our energy system.

“The big batteries will play a crucial role in the energy transformation by stabilising energy supply from clean renewable sources, meaning they’ll be able to be charged by sources like wind and solar and pumped back into the grid during periods of high demand.

Related article: CS Energy switches on Chinchilla Battery in Queensland

“This will ensure affordable and reliable electricity for our commercial and industrial customers in Queensland and the Eastern Seaboard.

“They are a key piece of our commitment to achieving 5GW of energy storage by 2035 and highlights Stanwell’s vision for a sustainable and innovative energy future.”

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CS Energy worked with Tesla and Downer to deliver the Chinchilla Battery, which is the first operational project in the Kogan Clean Energy Hub.

Related article: Forensic report blames CS Energy for Callide C explosion

The project has undergone a comprehensive commissioning program to test the battery under a range of operating conditions, ensuring it operates safely and reliably.

“Getting the Chinchilla Battery ready for commercial operation has taken a large effort from many people and teams across our entire business, from the team at site who will operate and maintain the asset to our traders in Brisbane who will dispatch its output into the grid,” CS Energy CEO Darren Busine said.

“This project, along with our other projects planned for the Kogan Clean Energy Hub, shows that CS Energy is here for the long term in the Western Downs community.”

Related article: Construction begins on Akaysha’s Brendale Battery

The Chinchilla Battery comprises 80 Tesla Megapack 2 systems. It uses lithium iron phosphate (also known as lithium ferro phosphate [LFP], or LiFePO4) batteries, which are the safest lithium batteries currently available.

Construction contractor Downer spent more than $3 million on suppliers and subcontractors in the Chinchilla and Dalby region during the construction phase.

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Related article: How Australia can fast-track its energy transmission projects

The Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) transmission project will deliver new transmission lines to connect reliable renewable energy generation and storage projects within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone in regional NSW to the national electricity network.

The project is expected to drive up to $20 billion in private investment in solar, wind and energy storage projects, supporting around 5,000 jobs during peak construction.

The approval is subject to more than 40 strict conditions to protect nature, including limiting clearance to avoid and mitigate impacts on threatened species.

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said, “I’ve ticked off more than 55 renewable energy projects in two years—enough to power more than three million Australian homes.

Related article: Heli-stringing project connects wind farm to the grid

“We’re getting on with the job of modernising our electricity grid to support them, and this project is another big step.”

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Commencing commercial operation in 2026, the Brendale BESS is expected to reduce electricity costs and enhance grid stability in line with the Queensland Government’s renewable energy targets.

Related article: Akaysha secures first battery portfolio financing in Australia

Located on UnityWater’s 3.7-acre site next to the South Pine substation, the central node of Queensland’s electricity grid, the Brendale BESS will feature Tesla Megapack technology while the balance of plant will be delivered by Consolidated Power Projects Australia (CPP).

As one of Queensland’s largest batteries, the Brendale BESS can store enough energy to power up to 300,000 homes during a blackout, adding significant storage capacity to Queensland’s electricity network.

The project will provide energy arbitrage and frequency control ancillary services to support the NEM and facilitate the integration of solar and wind projects by leveraging existing transmission infrastructure in the region.

Akaysha Energy managing director and chief commercial officer Paul Curnow said, “The Brendale BESS is an important element of Akaysha Energy’s portfolio across not only Queensland but the NEM more broadly.

Related article: Akaysha Energy: Powering Australia’s renewables transition

“The Brendale BESS is a crucial step in our mission to rapidly deploy large-scale BESS, enhancing grid stability and energy security while driving the global shift to sustainable energy.

“The Brendale BESS is one of four projects under development in the state and it’s clear that the Queensland energy sector is serious about the transition.”

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The $450 million BESS at Lower Wonga has a battery energy storage capacity of up to 200MW and a discharge capacity of up to 800MWh, which is enough power to supply electricity for up to 53,000 homes for four hours.

Related article: Origin approves second stage of Eraring Battery

The Lower Wonga BESS will allow for more solar and wind energy to be integrated into the grid, helping to reduce grid volatility, lower electricity prices and the need for expensive new power stations.

Equis Australia investment director Roby Camagong said, “The BESS would be connected to Queensland’s electricity grid via a transmission line that connects to the 275kV Woolooga Substation.

“Making the transition from fossil fuels to ‘baseload’ renewables, the ability to store and dispatch energy will play a key support role to provide rapid-response services to grid contingency events such as outages or heat waves.

“Grid-scale battery storage fills this key short-term role,” Camagong said.

Work on the battery is expected to begin later this year, with the project scheduled to be operational by 2026.

Related article: FRV Australia reaches financial close on Terang Battery

Equis is developing a pipeline of high-quality battery storage and wind generation projects in Queensland, including the recently announced Jackson North Wind Farm in Woleebee, Queensland.

In November 2023, Equis and the Victorian Government’s SEC financially closed and commenced construction of Phase 1 of the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub. Once complete, MREH will provide 1.6GWh of energy storage, enough to power up to 200,000 homes during peak periods.

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Related article: FRV Australia secures $1.2B refinancing of solar portfolio

The 100MW/200MWh Terang BESS is financed under FRV Australia’s recent AUD$1.2 billion portfolio refinancing facility.

The refinancing process included 11 financial institutions, which are now also supporting the funding of Terang: ING Bank, Westpac Banking Corporation, MUFG Bank, Société Générale, Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale, Mizuho Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, United Overseas Bank, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, China Construction Bank, and Agricultural Bank of China.

The project will also receive AUD$7 million in funding to support the installation of new grid forming inverters, awarded under round two of the Victoria Government’s Energy Innovation Fund (EIF) to help continue the Victorian Government’s drive to a renewable energy target of 50% by 2030.

Located 2km north-east of Terang’s centre and approximately 40km north of Warrnambool, the BESS will  connect to the NEM and be built on the traditional land of the Eastern Maar people.

Related article: FRV’s first hybrid solar-plus-storage project goes live

FRV Australia has appointed Canadian Solar‘s e-STORAGE for the construction and signed a connection agreement with AusNet in 2024.

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The project is under construction and targets production of first ammonia from 2025 and lower carbon ammonia from 2026.

Related article: Woodside acquires US LNG group Tellurian

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said, “This transaction positions Woodside in the growing lower carbon ammonia market. The potential applications for lower carbon ammonia are in power generation, marine fuels and as an industrial feedstock, as it displaces higher-emitting fuels.

“This acquisition is a material step towards delivering our Scope 3 investment and abatement targets. Phase 1 has the capacity to abate 1.6Mtpa of CO2-e and with the addition of Phase 2 the Project has the capacity to abate 3.2Mtpa CO2-e, or over 60% of our Scope 3 abatement target.”

News of the acquisition comes after the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)  rejected Woodside’s proposed Browse Gas project—Australia’s largest untapped conventional gas field located off the coast of the pristine Kimberley region in Western Australia.

Related article: Woodside leads carbon capture startup’s $10M capital raise

The EPA found Woodside’s proposal had unacceptable potential impacts on endangered Pygmy Blue Whales, the threat to endangered Green Turtles and the risk of pollution and oil spills at the highly biodiverse and fragile Scott Reef.

Only two other oil and gas proposals have been recommended against by the Western Australian EPA since the mid-1980s.

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Related article: Ark gets planning approval for Tasmanian wind farm

The 312MW Wimmera Plains Energy Facility is located 10km north-east from Horsham and includes up to 52 wind turbines connecting to an existing 220kV transmission line.

The project also includes a 100MW Battery Energy Storage system which can store up to 400MWh of dispatchable energy.

The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which is equivalent to taking more than 370,000 cars off the road each year.

Related article: Queensland Govt approves massive Tarong West Wind Farm

Plans include 52 wind turbines with a blade-tip height of 247m above the ground. Less than one hectare of native vegetation will be disturbed as a result of the project.

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Ark Energy general manager development for Tasmania Donna Bolton said, “The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm site is an excellent location for wind energy generation. Grid connection is onsite, residual environmental impacts can be managed and the wind resource is excellent.

Related article: Ark Energy withdraws plans for Doughboy Wind Farm

“This project will deliver much needed new renewable electricity generation to help Tasmania benefit from its world leading wind resource and achieve its renewable energy target, as well as bring a wide range of benefits for the local community and region.”

The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm has been in development since 2019 and has undergone several design iterations, including removal of 20 wind turbines to avoid environmental impacts, minimise visual impacts and address community concerns.

“We have worked hard to avoid and minimise potential environmental impacts, and the unavoidable environmental impacts are manageable, as shown by the EPA’s report,” Bolton said.

“The Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle has been a key species of focus. Proactive avoidance and the latest technology have been combined to achieve the least impact possible to Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles. Major design revisions have been made to avoid areas used by eagles and the Identiflight curtailment system will be installed across the site to minimise collision risk.

“We will continue to seek to minimise environmental impacts, be a good neighbour to those around the project area, and work diligently to deliver benefits from the project to the local community and wider region.”

Related article: Italy’s Prysmian to supply HVDC cables for Marinus Link

Ark Energy will now consider the conditions issued with the permit approval and awaits a final decision under the EPBC Act from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

This is the first planning approval in Tasmania for Ark Energy and follows approval earlier this year for its 347MW Bowmans Creek Wind Farm to be located in the NSW Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone.

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The contract ensures the design, manufacture, supply and installation for Stage 1 of the Marinus Link interconnector project, a 750MW HVDC cable system.

Related article: Commonwealth agrees to fund 49% of Marinus Link

Marinus Link CEO Caroline Wykamp said, “Prysmian has proven and global expertise in delivering projects like Marinus Link.

“We have booked their most advanced cabling vessel—the Leonardo Da Vinci.

“Marinus Link will enable Tasmania to import excess supply of solar and wind produced interstate, while reserving its hydro and storing the extra energy. Clean hydropower can then feed the national grid when it is needed most, acting as a large battery for the nation.”

The project’s cables span 345km, with 255km undersea across the Bass Strait and 90km underground in Gippsland, Victoria.

It was recently announced that Hitachi Energy’s high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology has been selected to augment the connection between mainland Australia and Tasmania.

Related article: Hitachi Energy’s HVDC tech selected for Marinus Link

Marinus Link is a cornerstone project of the Australian Government’s Rewiring the Nation Plan and is classified as urgent in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s national energy plan.

The project is jointly owned by the Australian, Tasmanian and Victorian governments.

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State-owned Stanwell is working with global renewable energy developer RES to build the proposed 436.5MW wind farm 30km south-west of Kingaroy.

Related article: Ark Energy withdraws plans for Doughboy Wind Farm

The project will feature 97 wind turbines and produce enough clean energy to power the equivalent of 230,000 homes.

The SARA assessment considered an accommodation strategy for workers to ensure housing supply in the region will not be adversely affected.

SARA has worked closely with the Department of Resources to ensure that the development helps protect important areas of ecological significance including protecting up to 13.47ha of koala habitat.

Conditions have been imposed for offsetting impacts for up to 5.4ha of Koala habitat in addition to requirements to rehabilitate areas cleared during construction, to the greatest extent possible.

Construction is expected to commence from 2025.

Related article: Palmer Wind Farm gets go-ahead in South Australia

Stanwell CEO Michael O’Rourke said, “The Tarong West Wind Farm is a critical part of not only Stanwell’s plan to decarbonise our existing portfolio, but it’s critical to Queensland reaching its renewable energy targets.

“This development approval brings us one step closer to our aim of having 9-10GW of large-scale wind and solar capacity by 2035 and we are continuing to work with RES through the approval processes so we can bring this project to life.”

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HumeLink is a proposed 500kV transmission line that will expand the transmission network in New South Wales, and is an actionable project under the Integrated System Plan. The project will reinforce the grid, and provide electricity customers with increased access to generation and storage opportunities in Southern and Southwest New South Wales.

Related article: UGL and CPB Contractors to construct HumeLink West

AER chair Clare Savage said that after a rigorous assessment the regulator had accepted project costs that were $314.4 million less than what was originally proposed by Transgrid in its application—approving $3,964.8 million in capital expenditure compared with Transgrid’s proposed $4,279.1 million (later revised to $4,173.4 million after accounting for new information).

“While HumeLink is a complex project of national significance, we recognise that it affects landholders and local communities on the transmission route and impacts electricity bills,” Savage said.

“There has been considerable stakeholder interest in this project and a diverse range of views were put forward throughout our consultation process. We valued the input of all stakeholders and sought to balance the breadth of interests and feedback in our decision-making.

“We are conscious that this decision comes at a difficult time for energy consumers, with many customers facing challenges to absorb higher electricity prices in the current economic climate.”

Related article: GenusPlus AND Acciona JV win HumeLink East contract

The AER noted in its decision that it was critical for Transgrid to continue to engage with communities to achieve and maintain their support in delivering the HumeLink project.

Following the AER’s decision to approve reduced costs for Stage 2 of HumeLink, Transgrid will be able to deliver the remainder of the HumeLink project.

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Related article: Ark Energy’s Bowmans Creek Wind Farm gets govt tick

Ark said the project in its “current form” had been withdrawn from the NSW Government’s planning and assessment process. The proposal has also been automatically withdrawn from the federal environmental assessment process managed by the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Ark Energy maintains the site is an excellent location for wind energy generation, and may reconsider the project with a different design at a later date, and pending further consultation.

“In the event that Ark Energy chooses to recommence development of the project in the future, a new scoping report will be prepared, and the assessment and approval process for the revised project would commence from the beginning,” the company said in a statement.

Earlier this year, Ark Energy withdrew its proposed Wooroora Station Wind Farm in North Queensland from the federal environmental assessment process following indications it was unlikely to be approved due to its proximity to a World-Heritage-listed rainforest.

Related article: Ark Energy scraps proposed Wooroora Station Wind Farm

It also plans to build the 50.4MW Western Plains Wind Farm in north-west Tasmania late last year, saying it wouldl instead focus on developing larger utility-scale wind projects.

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