Perhaps the two biggest changes to the way electricity grids are managed are the rapid evolution of battery storage and its associated smarts, and the sudden surge in demand from data centres and AI.
News
Much is being made of Australia’s potential as a home for data centres, but the industry may not be as much of a lock as people in the renewable and transmission businesses would like us to believe.
Meteorologists were calling what came through the Waiotahe Valley last week an ‘atmospheric river’; a significant weather phenomenon linked to extreme rainfall. Widespread flooding inundated the valley, closing local roads and causing havoc for the community.
Dominion Energy Virginia announced today that it plans to install a solar array on the roof and parking lot of the Richmond Flying Squirrels’ future stadium.
The state of NSW, at least those parts thinking about the transition from coal to renewables, is in a state of excitement. It now plays host to the world’s most powerful battery, which has been partially commissioned, and is rolling out a new solution – a giant battery shock absorber – that has never been seen at such scale.
JERA and BP have completed the formation of JERA Nex BP, a 50:50 offshore wind joint venture with a portfolio totalling 13GW of net potential capacity.
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures Australia (FRV) has found the money to start building its biggest battery yet, the Gnarwarre project in Victoria, a project that has been the company’s portfolio since 2021, and was first promised government backing in 2022.
Public support for offshore wind power in California remains high, with 75% of adults in favour of projects off the state’s coast, according to the latest survey by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Government statistics have confirmed that renewable sources accounted for more than half of the UK’s electricity generation in 2024, a new record.
The first floating wind turbine has been installed at the site of the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) project in France, developed by Ocean Winds in partnership with Banque des Territoires.
TOKYO :Nippon Steel signed a cooperation memorandum with Denmark’s wind turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems on Wednesday to supply steel for Vestas’ wind towers for European, Asian and Japanese markets, Japan’s industry ministry said.
It had all the makings of a great week for the renewables energy industry – a huge boost to the government’s flagship policy mechanism, confirmation that wind, solar and storage are Australia’s lowest cost option to replace its ageing coal generators, news of a growing pipeline of projects and some landmark battery deals.
Australian households have installed close to 20,000 battery systems in the first month of the Cheaper Home Batteries rebate, more than one quarter of the total amount of systems installed for all of 2024.
SINGAPORE – It is no longer feasible or practical for Singapore to avoid working towards a net-zero future, said Dr Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology.
The head of BP Australia, the local offshoot of the global fossil fuel giant, has defended the decision to quit the giant 26 gigawatt (GW) renewable energy project in the Pilbara, saying its customers were not moving quick enough to justify its continued interest.
Octopus Australia has formed a $1bn partnership with Dutch pension fund investor APG Asset Management.
Iberdrola and Irish company Echelon have created a joint venture to build and operate data centres in Spain.
The combined wind output from the nearly 100 wind farms operating on Australia’s main grid burst through the 10 gigawatt barrier for the first time on Friday, setting a new peak of 10.16 gigawatts (GW) at 9.10 pm.
A consortium of companies led by Spanish renewable energy heavyweight Iberdrola and another involving Acciona are among six contenders pitching for selection as the network operator for the proposed New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in northern NSW.
Saipem and Subsea7 have entered into a binding merger agreement, in line with terms first tabled earlier this year.
China may be on the verge of installing a world-first 25-megawatt (MW) wind turbine soon, following the announcement last week of a delivery of giant flanges for just such a project.
Irish developer DP Energy is planning to build a 1400MW wind farm and 500MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Australia.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has reported a near doubling in completed wind, solar and battery projects in the last financial year to a new record high, following a surge of completions in the latest quarter.
India added a record 22GW of renewable energy capacity in the first half of 2025 – but is still relying too heavily on fossil fuels, according to Rystad Energy.
Orsted has installed and energised the first offshore export cable system for the 920MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms in Taiwan.
Princeton Digital Group (PDG), the Singapore-based data centre operator, announced that it has secured a $1.3 billion investment commitment from US infrastructure and real estate investment firm Stonepeak.
Australia’s biggest off-grid renewable energy projects, being developed to power a gold mine site in a remote region of Western Australia, has marked a “pivotal moment,” with the concrete foundations for its seven wind turbines all now in place.
Chinese solar PV giant Trina Solar has proposed another major solar hybrid project, this time with a 400 MW, 1,600 MWh facility that is seeking to tap into major new industrial and electrification loads.
The world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia production facility has officially been commissioned in China, powered by an AI-integrated off-grid renewable system, also described as the biggest of its type.
SG’s Cleantech Solar secures $140m green financing from ING, Clifford Capital
Impact investor responsAbility investing $15m in Singapore’s August Energy
Germany’s onshore wind sector has recorded its strongest half-year performance since 2017, according to the German Wind Energy Association (BWE).
South Korean manufacturer Taihan Cable & Solution has completed the installation of export cables for the Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind project.
ABL has been chosen to provide marine warranty survey services to support the installation of Australia’s Marinus Link interconnector – a critical energy infrastructure project.
BlackRock’s assets under management hit a new high in the second quarter as global markets rallied on the prospect of trade deals and interest-rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve, brushing aside earlier tariff-related jitters.
US President Donald Trump announced a new trade deal with Indonesia in July 2025, following direct negotiations with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
LS Marine Solution announced on June 12 that it has been selected as the preferred negotiator for the submarine cable transportation and installation sector of the Haesong Offshore Wind Project, Korea’s largest offshore wind power project.
Northland Power has delivered first power from its 1GW Hai Long offshore wind project in Taiwan, marking a key construction milestone ahead of the second half of 2025.
Global investment in clean energy is projected to reach a record US$2.2 trillion in 2025—twice the amount expected for fossil fuels—according to the International Energy Agency. This marks a 2% increase from last year and includes spending on renewables, nuclear, energy storage, low-emissions fuels, and electrification. Solar technology will attract the largest share, with US$450 billion, driven by competitive pricing and adoption in emerging markets. Despite some political leaders advocating for fossil fuels, global fossil fuel investment is set to decline, while China, the US, and the EU will lead clean energy spending. However, China and the US will also remain top investors in fossil fuels, and China continues to approve new coal projects.
BuhaWind Energy Philippines has secured a pre-development environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for its 2GW Northern Luzon floating offshore wind project.
Two new records over the weekend mark the continued evolution of energy storage in Australia’s main grid, known as the National Electricity Market.
TotalEnergies and Singapore’s RGE have partnered to develop a major solar and battery storage project in Indonesia’s Riau Province, aiming to supply 1GW of renewable electricity to Singapore and local industrial areas. The Singapore Energy Market Authority has granted a conditional licence to their joint venture, Singa Renewables, to import this electricity. The partners also signed agreements to develop a subsea interconnector for electricity transmission and to jointly build, operate, and maintain the hybrid solar-battery facility. The project will support Singapore’s carbon neutrality goals and boost economic development in Riau, leveraging TotalEnergies’ global expertise and RGE’s regional presence.
The island state of Tasmania currently has no large scale solar farms, but that could be about to change in quite a big way, with the third large scale facility sailing through local planning approvals.
Vietnam proposes raising Oman investment fund to $1b
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has entered into an agreement to offload a 25% stake in a 1GW offshore wind project off the Philippines.
KKR on road to raise third and largest Asia infrastructure fund: Report
South Korea’s Energy Agency has announced a competitive bidding for offshore wind projects with a capacity of 1.25 GW and 1 GW solar projects in the first half of 2025.
Government Unveils 540㎿ Energy Storage Plan for Grid Stability
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), the largest pension fund in Canada, said its India portfolio crossed C$30 billion (about $21.6 billion) in net assets at the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2025.
It’s a grand irony that the Trump-era trade war may accelerate clean energy adoption, especially of Chinese solar panels and batteries, in the very countries where energy demand and emissions are growing fastest: South and Southeast Asia. Other regions, from the Pacific to Scandinavia, will also benefit as electric vehicles and electro-tech from China become more available and affordable, despite U.S. trade barriers.
Australia and China can strengthen their ties with Southeast Asian nations through renewable energy initiatives and investments, which will aid the region’s transition towards a green energy future while creating opportunities for partnership-building despite geopolitical tensions. Collaboration pathways exist, including electric vehicles, with China’s leading role in EV technologies complementing Australia’s abundant supplies of lithium and other critical minerals. Another opportunity is renewables like hydrogen, where Australia and China offer significant advantages in production and research and development respectively.
Shares of Chinese electric vehicle battery giant CATL opened 12.5% higher than the subscription price on Tuesday after the company raised $4.6 billion in its Hong Kong listing, the largest in the world this year.
The Danish government has given the green light for a new 3GW offshore wind tender.
The Arab Energy Fund and Stonepeak have formed a $1 billion partnership to invest in Middle East energy infrastructure, while Carlyle has launched Revera Energy, a clean infrastructure platform.
New figures show the wind industry delivered a record 127GW of new capacity globally in 2024 despite macroeconomic and policy challenges.
Australian mining giant Fortescue is proposing to construct a huge 2.1 gigawatt (GW) wind farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) to help eliminate the burning of fossil fuels at its giant Pilbara iron ore operations.
Norway to spend $52b from wealth fund.
Vestas and LM Wind Power have finalised a deal that will see LM Wind Power’s blade factory in Poland transferred to the turbine maker.
Brookfield Asset Management has marked its first investment in Singapore with the acquisition of two business parks and a high-tech industrial building for S$535.3 million ($413 million)
Skimpy snow cover worsens Europe’s clean power woes
Skimpy snow cover worsens Europe’s clean power woes
Japan’s JERA may consider Alaska for LNG supply
US Supreme Court rejects Vineyard Wind lawsuits
Kroll, global financial and risk advisory solutions provider, launches its Fixed Asset Advisory Service (FAAS) in APAC
How does Carbon Capture and storage work?
Google Strikes First Offshore Wind Deal in Asia-Pacifi
Energy Storage Platform Backed by Stonepeak and CHC Awarded Five Projects in Japan Long-term Decarbonization Auction
Are Rural Data Centers the Green Future?
APAC policy makers call for urgent action to bridge financing gaps for sustainable development
The blackout was a wake-up call. It showed that the need to modernise and reinforce Europe’s electricity grid is urgent and unavoidable
Vertex Energy is attending Solar & Storage LIVE Philippines on 19th and 20th May! Follow us and drop us a note if you’d like to arrange a chat at the exhibition and learn more about the growth trends of the BESS and Solar market in the Philippines!
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