Tesla has announced that by the end of 2026, it expects to have around 4.5GW of grid-forming battery storage operating across Australia.

“Social licensing is the next frontier for battery energy storage systems,” said Matt Baumgurtel, partner, new energy lead at Hamilton Locke.

Andrés Barberán, energy storage product manager at Fluence, emphasises that optimising battery energy storage system (BESS) performance means making decisions with the entire asset lifecycle in mind, not just immediate returns.

A 12GWh pumped hydro project and a 1,200MWh battery energy storage system in New South Wales (NSW) have been submitted to Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Chinese solar PV inverter and energy storage provider Sungrow has deployed two C&I community batteries, marking the first in South Australia to undergo Common Smart Inverter Profile for Australia (CSIP-AUS) testing.

Neoen Australia has announced the successful energisation of the second stage of its 540MWh Western Downs battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland, completing the milestone six weeks ahead of schedule.

Australian renewable energy company Tilt Renewables has officially inaugurated its 100MW/200MWh Latrobe Valley battery energy storage system (BESS) near Morwell, Victoria.

Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has announced its largest-ever investment commitment, with AU$3.8 billion (US$2.5 billion) allocated to support the Marinus Link interconnector connecting the states of Tasmania and Victoria.

910MWh of BESS in Queensland, Australia, has been added to AEMO’s Market Management System, signalling readiness for commissioning.

“The speed at which the grid-forming inverters are operating means that standby consumption will be higher,” said Dave Bowly of AGL.