This edition of news in brief features portfolio acquisitions, project completions, a supply deal and investments across Europe.

The Australian government has introduced a dedicated First Nations Set Aside pilot into both Capacity Investment Scheme Tenders 9 and 10.

Germany’s policymakers, regulators and energy storage industry must carefully consider the issues of grid connections and grid fees, writes Thomas Antonioli of developer Terra One.

In this interview with Energy-Storage.news, Colin Koon Peng Ho of Banpu NEXT explains why policy certainty now outweighs cost in APAC battery storage investment decisions, and discusses regulatory barriers, supply chain localisation and the most attractive BESS opportunities.

Battery storage is effectively a hardware-backed multi-strategy trading platform, writes Partha Sharma, president of BBNR Capital Management.

We chat to Stephan Lehrke, head of Germany at Second Foundation, a Czech Republic-headquartered energy asset trading firm which is becoming an owner-operator of BESS.

Wärtsilä spinning out its energy storage activities and divesting a 50% stake this week reflects difficulties in making the business profitable and synergistic within the wider group activities, analysts said.

Octopus Energy Generation has partnered with ZE Energy to invest in and build one of Italy’s biggest BESS projects, while Eco Stor has secured financing for one of Germany’s, which it is already building. Optimiser Entrix has also won two large contracts in Germany and the Netherlands.

The NSW Energy Security Corporation has deployed its first investment, committing AU$100 million to a large-scale battery storage platform.

Gamuda Renewables has secured an interest in the 1,800MWh Hazelwood North solar-plus-storage project in Victoria, Australia.