Energy Insiders Podcast: Why Batteries Are Getting Bigger and Marrying Solar
The Energy Insiders podcast featured Sam Reynolds, head of Octopus Australia, outlining plans to construct the country’s largest battery and the rise of solar‑battery hybrid projects. He explained how falling storage costs and grid‑balancing needs are driving batteries to scale well beyond 100 MWh. The episode also touched on legacy utilities AGL and Origin, which continue to earn fossil‑fuel profits despite a growing green narrative. Listeners gained insight into the strategic shift toward integrated renewable storage solutions in Australia’s power market.
The Little Battery that Could Pave the Way for Ageing Coal Generators to Be Shut Down on Schedule
Australia’s renewable rollout hinges on grid‑forming inverters, a technology that can mimic the inertia and fault‑current support traditionally supplied by large synchronous condensers. Early results from the 25‑50 MW Darlington Point battery, built with these inverters, show it can stabilise frequency...
Australia’s Home Battery Boom Risks Locking Households Into Closed Ecosystems
Australia’s home battery market has surged past 210,000 installations, spurred by the federal Cheaper Home Batteries scheme. Tech entrepreneur Simon Hackett warns that most of these systems are locked to proprietary software, preventing third‑party control. The scheme only requires VPP‑readiness,...
Coal Giant’s First Gigawatt-Scale Battery Charges up, Guided by some In-House Algorithms
AGL Energy has begun charging and discharging its first gigawatt‑scale battery, the 500 MW/1,000 MWh Liddell project located beside the de‑commissioned Liddell coal plant. The battery will be commissioned in two 250 MW/500 MWh stages, with the first expected within two months and the...
Australia’s Clean Energy Transition Has Been Powered by People. Solar for Renters Is the Next Chapter
Australia’s clean‑energy push, highlighted by the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, has driven rapid rooftop solar adoption, yet renters—over one‑third of households—remain excluded. Solar Citizens and a coalition of 72 groups have campaigned for a solar‑for‑renters framework, testing public consensus through...