Delivering on its 2025 election pledge, Australia’s Labor government has announced it will introduce the Cheaper Home Batteries Program from 1 July 2025.

ESN Premium speaks with Chloe Hicks of EnergyCo about New South Wales’ Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) and its hopes for energy storage.

Origin Energy has submitted an 800MWh wind-plus-storage project in New South Wales to Australia’s EPBC Act.

Engie North America has partnered with CBRE Investment Management (CBRE IM) on a 2.4GW battery energy storage system (BESS) portfolio in Texas and California, US.

Elements Green has received grid connection approval from Powerlink Queensland and the AEMO for a 1.3GWh solar-plus-BESS site in Queensland.

Developer Elgin Energy has secured grid connection approval from AEMO for a 150MW solar-plus-storage site in Victoria.

Epic Energy’s 100MW/200MWh Mannum battery energy storage system (BESS) in South Australia has entered the commissioning phase.

Developer SMT Energy, with utility CenterPoint Energy and construction company Irby, have broken ground on the 160MW/320MWh SMT Houston IV battery energy storage system (BESS) in Texas, US.

Flow battery developer XL Batteries has partnered with data centre developer Prometheus Hyperscale to deploy its batteries on-site at data centres.

California utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has announced its intent to return the Elkhorn battery energy storage system (BESS) to service by 1 June.