Australia’s Queensland government is set for crunch talks with Queensland Hydro to “save” the 2GW/48GWh Borumba pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) project, with its cost having increased to AU$18 billion (US$11.5 billion) and been delayed by three years.

With the opening of the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender 3 in Australia last Wednesday (13 November), one major question from the state allocations presented in the market briefing was why Queensland had been granted no capacity.

Whitehaven Energy, a subsidiary of coal producer Whitehaven Coal and renewable energy generator and retailer Pacific Blue, landed key milestones in developing solar-plus-storage projects in Australia last week.

Large-scale energy storage reaching financial commitment increased 95% year-on-year in Australia in Q3 2024, reaching just under 4GWh.

Victoria, Australia, has secured the largest allocation of dispatchable power in the upcoming Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), with 1.7GW/6.8GWh for energy storage.

Australian startup Green Gravity has commenced studies to develop a 2GWh gravitational energy storage project in Northwest Queensland, Australia.

Sunwoda and Gryphon Energy have partnered to develop a 1.6GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland, Australia.

Spanish sustainable energy developer X-Elio is expanding a solar PV plant in Queensland, Australia, with the addition of battery storage.

Queensland’s Stanwell Corporation seeks to add 5GWh of energy storage to its resource mix through two new deals.

Flow Power’s chief operating officer, Byron Serjeantson, believes solar-plus-storage projects represent an upcoming trend in Australia’s PPA market.