Australian renewables startup Green Gravity has teamed with underground mining contractor RUC to accelerate the commercialization of its gravitational energy storage tech.

The Australian government’s green bank has contributed AUD 100 million ($66 million) to finance the 850 MW/1,680 MWh Waratah Super Battery Project. The project, aimed at supporting Australia’s transition from coal-fired generation to renewables, has secured AUD 500 million of funding in total.

French developer Neoen has won a 197 MW storage contract with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The deal is for the Collie big battery in Western Australia, with the first phase set to start commercial operations by October 2024.

AGL has added three new grid-scale batteries and a 200 MW solar farm to its development pipeline as it shifts its energy portfolio from high-emission, coal-fired power generation to backed-up renewables.

Sicona Battery Technologies, an Australian battery materials startup, has secured financial backing from international investors to enhance its silicon-composite anode technology for lithium-ion batteries, allowing it to expedite its commercial development plans in the US market.

The Hydrogen Collective (H2C), an Australian project developer, has revealed plans to build a solar-powered production facility in the state of Queensland. The facility, set to be operational from later this year, will supply commercial customers with green hydrogen. Construction is scheduled to start in the coming weeks.

The Queensland government has awarded two key contracts for what it says will be the largest pumped hydro energy project in the world, with the proposed 5 GW/120 GWh Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro energy storage system to form a cornerstone of the Australian state’s energy transition.

Former Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Guy Debelle has warned that the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) poses a “material threat” to Australia’s push to become a green hydrogen superpower.

Redflow, an Australian redox-flow battery manufacturer, will build one of the world’s largest zinc-based battery energy storage systems in the United States, after signing a multi-million-dollar deal with the California Energy Commission.

Australian energy major AGL is pushing ahead with plans to transform its Loy Yang power station site into a clean energy industrial hub in the Australian state of Victoria. It has signed a deal with Solar Recovery Corp. (SRC) to explore the feasibility of establishing a PV panel recycling facility at the site.