Surge in Wind, Solar, and Battery Grid Registrations
In the past six months, the rate of grid registrations for wind, solar, and battery projects in Australia has seen a significant surge. The capacity of projects approved to connect to the grid has doubled compared to the previous 12 months, according to new data from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
The latest figures reveal that 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of new projects were registered in the December quarter alone, bringing the total since July 1 to 5.2 GW, which is more than double the capacity registered in the preceding 12 months.
Wave of Project Approvals
Margarida Pimentel, who heads AEMO’s onboarding and connections group, attributes the surge to a significant increase in projects that have been constructed and are now progressing through the commissioning process. This surge reflects a “wave” of application approvals in 2023, with another 7.5 GW of project application approvals in the last six months, mirroring the figures from the same period in 2023.
Notably, the rate of new project application approvals increased in the last quarter, reaching 4.9 GW. The number of projects advancing through the connection process has also risen to 49.6 GW, up from 36.4 GW at the end of 2023.
Future Energy Supply Pipeline
Pimentel highlighted the significance of the new projects in relation to the National Electricity Market (NEM), stating that with the NEM’s total generation and storage capacity of 66 GW, nearly 50 GW of new projects represent a substantial pipeline for future energy supply.
Projects that have recently reached full output include the Ryan Corner wind farm (205 MW), Girgarre solar farm (76 MW), Rangebank battery (200 MW, 400 MWh) in Victoria, and the Tailem Bend hybrid facility in South Australia, which combines a solar farm with a battery.
The latest AEMO Connections Scorecard data validates both AEMO’s Integrated System Plan and the federal government’s energy policies. However, the challenge remains to expedite the rollout of new projects to achieve the target of 82 per cent renewables by 2032.
Capacity Expansion and Challenges
The federal government is actively awarding contracts for new projects through auctions under the Capacity Investment Scheme. The first auction, completed in December, saw over 6 GW of new wind and solar capacity awarded, with a second auction currently in progress.
Despite the progress, grid capacity constraints and the delays in key transmission projects pose significant challenges. Solar projects led registration approvals in the December quarter, followed by wind, batteries, and upgrades to existing facilities.
The surge in grid registrations for renewable energy projects signals a positive trend towards a more sustainable energy future in Australia, with a growing focus on wind, solar, and battery technologies.
