All stories from The Windy Times, in chronological order.
WattClarity examines whether AEMO's materially increased wind capacity factor assumptions in the draft 2026 ISP are realistic by comparing them against actual capacity and availability factors observed across NEM wind units in 2025, providing critical validation of the planning assumptions underpinning Australia's energy transition roadmap.
Preliminary construction works have commenced at a Latrobe Valley wind farm owned by State Electricity Commission (SEC), with initial activities including installation of five 130,000-litre firefighting water tanks at the forest-based site.
Two onshore wind farms, Dinawan and Bullawah, have encountered planning delays due to objections from long-distance opponents and concerns about impacts on whale migration. The article discusses community division and environmental considerations affecting state-level wind farm approvals in Australia.
Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation has launched an expression of interest process for commercial and industrial customers to purchase renewable energy from its expanding large-scale clean energy project portfolio in the Pilbara region. This represents a major initiative to secure long-term offtake commitments for utility-scale renewable projects.
An alliance of 11 industry, environment and union groups has proposed to the federal government that data centre operators be mandated to invest in 100% new renewable energy to power their operations, while also funding energy workforce training. This policy proposal aims to ensure data centres contribute to Australia's clean energy transition and support renewable energy infrastructure development.
An Australian high voltage transformer at the Waratah Super Battery failed in 2025. The manufacturer has begun production of a replacement unit, with delivery expected in Q3 2026. This represents a significant grid infrastructure repair affecting a major BESS asset supporting renewable energy integration.
The article examines how large-scale battery storage has become integral to NEM operations over the past 12 months, with changing value drivers as home battery systems increasingly participate in the market. It discusses the shifting competitive dynamics between utility-scale batteries, fossil generators, and distributed residential storage in Australia's energy transition.
Neoen has received federal environmental approval for the first two stages of a major renewables precinct in South Australia that includes wind, solar, and battery storage components. This approval is a significant milestone in the project's development pathway.
A NSW wind farm project that drew criticism from federal politician Barnaby Joyce has been referred to the Independent Planning Commission for assessment, with over 550 public objections submitted alongside supportive submissions during the consultation period.
Malaysia's prime minister announced restrictions on non-AI data centres to protect domestic consumers and grid stability, with potential reliance on the ASEAN Power Grid project to address supply shortfalls. This reflects growing tension between data centre expansion and electricity system capacity across the region.
Industry, unions, community and environment groups have issued a joint statement to the federal government outlining eight responsible data centre principles, including requirements for data centres to install their own renewable energy generation, train new skilled workers, and use water responsibly. This coordinated advocacy signals growing pressure on data centre operators to source renewable power, which will substantially increase demand for wind and other renewable projects across Australia.
ACEREZ has launched a three-year Community Grants Program providing funding for innovation, local connections, and opportunities in the Central-West Orana REZ. The program complements EnergyCo's Community and Employment Benefit Program, creating multiple funding streams for the region as part of broader REZ development.
The Queensland Renewable Energy Council welcomes the Energy Roadmap Amendment Bill 2025, which reinforces renewable energy's role in delivering low-cost, low-emissions electricity across Queensland. The Bill shifts focus from renewable energy targets to greenhouse gas emissions reduction, with implications for how wind projects are prioritized and developed in the state.
The Clean Energy Council and Queensland Renewable Energy Council have jointly announced a national approach to renewable energy project decommissioning and financial security arrangements. This industry-first framework aims to provide farmers with greater certainty regarding land restoration and financial obligations while maintaining project economic viability for renewable energy operators.
The Queensland Renewable Energy Council has submitted recommendations to Parliament regarding the State's Energy Roadmap legislation, advocating for retention of legislated renewable energy targets of 50% and stronger policy commitments to ensure reliable and affordable electricity supply as the state transitions its energy system.
QREC released a report documenting Queensland's renewable energy sector delivering $1 billion economic benefit, with expectations of substantially greater returns as more projects move into construction and operation phases. The data captures current contributions and forecasts future impacts from the planned project pipeline.
QREC's fourth Executive Insights Survey reveals that 53% of respondents lack confidence in Queensland's long-term renewable energy commitment as Parliament debates Energy Roadmap implementation legislation. The survey findings highlight persistent investor uncertainty about the state's policy direction and its impact on renewable energy investment decisions.
Queensland Parliament has passed legislation for the Energy Roadmap, which removes legislated renewable energy targets but confirms publicly owned coal-fired power stations will be retired. The focus now shifts to accelerating renewable energy project development across regional Queensland to meet fundamental generation needs during the energy transition.
The Queensland Audit Office's Energy 2025 report confirms that renewable energy deployment, particularly solar, is reducing wholesale electricity prices in Queensland by lowering demand on coal-fired generation. The Queensland Renewable Energy Council welcomes the findings as validation of industry evidence on how renewables are benefiting consumers and businesses through lower power costs.
QREC has submitted to a parliamentary inquiry on emerging industries in Northern Australia, calling for energy infrastructure to be treated as a matter of national economic security and regional prosperity. The submission positions north Queensland as critical for industrial competitiveness and renewable energy development.
Australia achieved record renewable electricity capacity additions in Q4 2025, representing a significant milestone in the country's renewable energy surge. The article tracks deployment trends across renewable technologies and their impact on the energy transition.
Victoria has fast-tracked two large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects to strengthen the state's storage capacity and renewable energy position. The projects, including one planned near Glenrowan in the high country, represent strategic infrastructure development in a region with significant wind farm activity and grid modernization efforts.
Magellan Power, a Perth-based energy storage and battery systems specialist, has secured funding from Viburnum Funds to expand its manufacturing capabilities and support growth in Australia and internationally. The expansion strengthens domestic BESS production capacity at a time when large-scale battery storage is essential for managing variability from wind and solar generation.
Australia's home battery storage rollout is creating a 'Bactrian camel curve' demand profile by splitting the evening peak. Within six months of the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, small-scale storage capacity has reached levels equivalent to half of Eraring coal plant's output during peak demand, fundamentally reshaping NEM load patterns and implications for generation dispatch.
The IEA reports that global utility-scale battery capacity increased 12-fold between 2020 and 2024, reflecting the accelerating deployment of energy storage systems worldwide. This growth indicates the rising importance of BESS as a paired technology with intermittent renewables like wind to support grid stability and energy transition goals.
An NSW-based transformer manufacturer has received a $22 million government grant as part of a broader $52 million state investment in renewable energy manufacturing. Transformer capacity is essential for connecting wind farms and other renewables to the grid, making this expansion relevant to Australia's wind energy rollout and grid infrastructure development.
Australian Vanadium Limited's VSUN Energy subsidiary has partnered with Sumitomo Electric Industries to develop a 500 MWh vanadium battery project in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The project represents a major long-duration energy storage development using alternative battery chemistry, with implications for grid stability and renewable energy curtailment management in WA's high-wind regions.
Macquarie-backed Aula Energy has acquired five utility-scale solar farms from Lightsource bp, along with an 800 MW co-located battery storage development pipeline. This transaction reflects consolidation in Australia's renewable energy market and signals continued investment in utility-scale projects across multiple technologies.
A proposed large-scale battery storage project in South Australia faces local council opposition over its siting, despite the project already undergoing four design modifications. The battery's approval process continues through state licensing procedures as stakeholders debate location impacts.
Australia's CSIRO is investing $3 million to upgrade its renewable energy research facility in Newcastle, expanding capacity for testing and demonstrating how solar, wind, battery storage, and electric vehicles can integrate reliably into the grid. The facility will serve both researchers and industry partners working on technology integration and grid stability solutions.
The NSW government has designated two multi-billion-dollar pumped hydro projects as Critical State Significant Infrastructure, signaling strong policy support for long-duration energy storage as a key component of Australia's energy transition strategy.
The NEM's battery fleet has transitioned from early adoption to mainstream acceptance over the past 12-18 months, with rapid deployment now becoming a key driver of physical market dynamics. Major energy companies including AGL and Origin are increasingly highlighting battery earnings and storage strategies in their corporate reporting, signaling the growing importance of storage assets in the energy market.
An overview of the physical transmission and distribution infrastructure that delivers power across the National Electricity Market, covering the poles and wires network critical to electricity delivery.
Part 4 of a series examining the National Electricity Market, focusing on generation technologies and their characteristics within the NEM. Provides foundational knowledge on how different generation sources (including wind) operate and interact within Australia's electricity system.
TransGrid has begun reconstruction of a 2km damaged transmission line section near Balranald, with the first of six towers successfully installed. The work is part of repairs following a significant storm event and supports ongoing grid infrastructure resilience.
Transgrid is launching its 2026 aerial patrol program using helicopters and specialist inspection technologies to inspect high-voltage transmission lines across NSW and the ACT ahead of the summer bushfire season. The annual program is part of Transgrid's bushfire prevention and network safeguarding strategy.
Transgrid and Elecnor Australia are nearing completion of the EnergyConnect project, a major transmission line designed to support Australia's energy transition by connecting renewable energy sources across regions and enabling grid modernization for the clean energy future.
Siemens Gamesa won a patent dispute against GE that could result in an injunction preventing GE from selling its Haliade-X offshore turbine in the US market. The article argues that while patents protect innovation, such injunctions may reduce competition and increase costs for offshore wind farm developers by limiting turbine supplier options.
The article examines why major wind turbine manufacturers are experiencing financial difficulties despite strong renewable energy investments, with OEMs forced to close factories and reduce investment. It explores the root causes of this situation and potential strategies for OEMs to return to profitability.
The article discusses GE's patent litigation strategy against competitors, including Siemens Gamesa, and argues that these legal actions have had negative consequences for GE's market position and competitive standing in the wind industry.
Thomas Alsbjerg, Vestas' executive vice president for digital solutions and development, discusses the company's project development ambitions, permitting strategies, and partnership approaches. The interview covers how Vestas is positioning itself in the global wind market through technology and operational improvements.
The article argues that the wind industry has matured sufficiently to adopt modularisation and standardisation practices in OEM manufacturing, which could improve profitability by reducing costs, accelerating production timelines, and improving supply chain resilience across the global wind turbine sector.
The UK High Court ruled that GE's Haliade-X offshore wind turbine did not infringe Siemens Gamesa's UK patent. The case has implications for offshore wind patent law and could influence how intellectual property disputes are handled across the industry, affecting technology development and deployment strategies for major OEMs.
Windpower Monthly's 2022 year review covers major developments across the global wind industry, including project completions, technology trends, supply chain dynamics, and market shifts during a transformational year for the sector.
Enercon's CEO Jürgen Zeschky discusses the wind industry's role in achieving European energy independence, key hurdles facing manufacturers, and policy measures needed to support wind energy deployment. The interview covers OEM perspectives on industry challenges and requirements for accelerating wind power adoption.
Global wind capacity will exceed 1TW in 2024 with nearly 2TW of new installations projected over the next decade. The article analyzes the key drivers of this expansion, including electrification, industrial decarbonization, and evolving energy demand patterns that will shape wind deployment trajectories.
Siemens Gamesa has completed the sale of its former Indian wind turbine manufacturing business, which has been rebranded as Vayona Energy. This represents a significant corporate restructuring for one of the world's leading turbine manufacturers and may affect supply chain capabilities and market competition in wind energy globally.
RWE has appointed Sopna Sury, currently head of hydrogen, as the new CEO of its onshore wind and solar business across Europe and Australia, effective April 2026, replacing Katja Wünschel. This leadership transition signals RWE's strategic positioning in renewable energy markets including Australia.
Ørsted has agreed to sell a majority stake in its 632MW Greater Changhua 2 offshore wind complex in Taiwan to Cathay Life Insurance. The transaction represents a significant asset monetisation for the major wind developer and reflects growing institutional investment in mature offshore wind projects in Asia.
Equinor has stalled on completing a licence purchase for a major floating offshore wind farm in South Korea, with local media reporting the project's future is now in doubt. The delay highlights challenges in advancing large-scale offshore wind projects internationally and may signal broader shifts in floating offshore wind investment strategies.