Oceania

Octopus Investments Australia raises AUD 250 million for its renewable energy fund, OASIS. With contributions from Hostplus, CEFC and Sky Renewables, plus a new investor Rest, total funds raised now stand at AUD 550 million. Octopus manages a platform of assets worth AUD 1 billion.

AGL Energy and Wärtsilä have completed construction of Australia's second largest battery storage system, the 250MW Torrens Island project, designed to help Australia transition to 100% renewable energy and achieve net-zero emissions. Constructed within 18 months, this collaboration between government, regulatory bodies and private sector proves to be a successful partnership.

BayWa r.e. demonstrate their commitment to Australia’s solar industry with the launch of their new solar portfolio. A comprehensive range of solar solutions for all needs.

Australian start-up Hysata opens "giga-scale" production plant for world's most efficient electrolyser technology. 95% efficiency rate with 1GW of production annually and major investors, government funding and 9.4GW of orders. Helping the world reach goal of trillion-dollar investment in electrolysers for hard to abate industries.

Tesla and UGL join forces to deliver an extension of the Western Downs Battery project in Queensland, Australia, increasing capacity from 200 MW/400 MWh to 270 MW/540 MWh. Construction to be completed by 2024-2025. Neoen begins construction on Storbötet and Lumivaara wind farms in Finland, total capacity of 161.2 MW.

Enel Green Power (EGP) has signed a deal with INPEX Corporation to sell a 50% stake in its Australian subsidiaries for €400 million. The transaction will positively impact EBITDA in 2023 and net debt in the long run. EGPA's portfolio includes solar and wind projects, plus innovative retail and trading solutions. Closing is subject to clearance from authorities.

Sumitomo Corporation and Rio Tinto partner with Australian Government's ARENA to build 2.5 MW on-site electrolyzer in Yarwun plant, Gladstone, Australia. This project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 3,000 tonnes per year and provide an opportunity for the use of hydrogen in calcination process at scale globally. Construction to begin in 2024 and complete by 2025.

Victory Hill Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities (GSEO) completes phase 2 of the solar and storage hybrid system in Australia with the addition of a 4.95MW two-hour battery energy storage system. GSEO continues to optimize the grid connection for better renewable power availability.

The Australian government has announced a Capacity Investment Scheme to increase renewables in New South Wales to 6 GW. The NSW Energy Roadmap's firming tender will increase from 380 MW to 930 MW and bids representing more than 3.3 GW have already been submitted. Final results announced by the end of September, with the next auction to be announced by October in South Australia and Victoria.

BlackRock has raised $500 million to build the largest grid-scale battery project in the Southern Hemisphere, with 850 megawatts and 1680 megawatt-hours of capacity. Rio Tinto is also increasing demand for battery metals to meet the goals of the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Pacific Energy has been awarded a contract to integrate 62MW of clean energy into an existing power system at an Australian gold mine. The hybrid power system will reduce emissions by 50% and feature in-house control systems, BESS, HV Switch Room & PV ring main units. Works start in July 2021, completion in early 2025.

Yadlamalka Energy has commissioned Australia's first 2-MW/8-MWh vanadium flow battery (VFB) as part of the AUD-22-million Spencer Energy project. With funding from ARENA, the battery will charge from solar energy and off-peak grid imports. A milestone for Australia's energy storage market, Spencer Energy is revolutionising renewable energy technology.

DNV has supported Solar Pacific Energy Corporation (SPEC) in a $29 million solar and storage project in Palau. Our expertise ensured the complicated hybrid solar and battery system was successfully installed on Babeldoab island, providing 20% of Palau's energy needs. SPEC now looks forward to more projects with DNV in the Asia Pacific region.

The 1400 MW, 2.8 GWh storage project will supply 2 hours of backup storage to the NSW grid.

Australia's biggest grid-connected industrial microgrid has been commissioned at the Ikea store in Adelaide, it was announced recently.