Octopus Australia has referred the Blackstone battery energy storage system (BESS), a 500MW/2,000MWh standalone facility, to Australia’s federal government for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

EDF Power Solutions Australia has referred the Wala Wala Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project, a 300-400MW facility in NSW.

Copper theft has become a recurring security issue at Australian battery storage sites, with one regulator reporting multiple incidents.

OptiGrid has been selected by Vena Energy to provide trading optimisation services for the 408MW Bellambi Heights BESS in Australia.

Energy Vault has completed the acquisition of the underlying project land for its 125MW/1,000MWh Stoney Creek battery energy storage system (BESS) in northern New South Wales, Australia.

Anza Power has signed a tolling agreement with Amazon Australia for the 50MW/200MWh Bairnsdale BESS in East Gippsland, Victoria.

Western Australia’s ERA has fined state-owned energy company Synergy AU$1.2 million (US$785,600) after a software error at the Kwinana BESS.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has confirmed the installation of the 100th community battery storage system under its Community Batteries Funding Initiative.

CIP has acquired full ownership of the 104MW Gawara Baya wind-plus-storage project in North Queensland, Australia, from developer Windlab.

Developers who buy or flip battery storage projects mid-life risk inheriting decommissioning liabilities they had not properly accounted for.