Data centre energy promise hides emissions reality
The Energy Co AU Carbon ·
A Greens-led Senate inquiry will probe the impact of AI data centres on water and energy later this year as politicians face increasing questions from the public.
Archive
16 May 2026
38 articles collected
Daily Snapshot
3 min read
NSW awards over 2 GWh of storage in a new firming tender, while EnergyAustralia proposes Australia's biggest gas plant to meet surging data centre demand, exposing divergent paths to grid stability.
AU 15 |Global 10 | Storage 7|Solar 5|EV 5
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Today's Signal
Australia: NSW firming tender secures 2,128MWh of energy storage to address summer shortfall
Energy-Storage.News AU Storage ·
The New South Wales government has awarded contracts to two firming projects totaling 532MW and 2,128MWh of storage capacity. These developments aim to bolster grid reliability and address potential electricity supply gaps during peak summer demand periods within the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong region.
'Resident-led' kerbside charging gets a timely boost
The Energy Co AU EV ·
Inventors of home-based kerbside electric vehicle charging solutions for households and businesses without off-street parking have battled years of indifference from local councils and policymakers.
Banks are no longer financing the energy transition on faith, and are declining deals they once would do
RenewEconomy AU Solar ·
Australian financial institutions are increasingly rejecting renewable energy deals they previously supported, shifting away from faith-based lending toward stricter risk assessments. Despite ample capital and project pipelines, banks are now scrutinizing the commercial viability of energy transition assets more rigorously before committing funds.
Utility giant bets big on data centre demand with plans to build Australia’s biggest gas plant
RenewEconomy AU Power ·
EnergyAustralia proposes constructing the nation's largest gas-fired power station to address a multi-gigawatt supply deficit. The project aims to support grid stability as coal assets retire and electricity demand from data centres increases.
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Australia’s largest coal state to launch biggest tender yet for power delivered when the sun don’t shine
RenewEconomy AU Storage ·
The New South Wales government is launching its largest ever generation tender, prioritising wind energy and solar-battery hybrids capable of supplying electricity during non-solar hours. This procurement round also seeks additional energy storage capacity to support the state's transition away from coal-fired power.
Giant Tomago battery and VPP win new firming tender to fill gaps in supply
RenewEconomy AU Storage ·
Giant Tomago battery and a virtual power plant win "firming" tender designed to respond to lack of reserve events at times of high demand, or generator breakdowns.
Angus Taylor’s energy policy is now a carbon copy of Hanson and Trump
RenewEconomy AU Carbon ·
It is now almost impossible to spot the difference between One Nation's policy on climate and energy, and that of the federal Liberal and National parties.
Iberdrola Australia submits 1GW battery storage system to the EPBC Act
Energy-Storage.News AU Storage ·
Iberdrola Australia has submitted a 1,000MW battery energy storage system to Australia's EPBC Act for federal environmental assessment.
Construction starts at state’s first “end-to-end” hydrogen and ammonia production plant
RenewEconomy AU Hydrogen ·
Construction is underway at state's first hydrogen and ammonia production plant, that will help insulate local farmers from the global fuel and fertiliser crisis.
BYD’s biggest EV that’s not a bus approved for sale in Australia
The Driven AU EV ·
The BYD e-Vali electric delivery van has received Australian government approval for local sale. Technical specifications for the large-scale commercial vehicle were confirmed in official regulatory filings, marking the manufacturer's expansion beyond passenger cars and buses into the domestic light commercial EV market.
Turbine blade breaks, falls to ground at wind farm damaged by lightning strike in 2019
RenewEconomy AU Wind ·
A wind turbine blade has broken and fallen to the ground at a wind farm in Victoria where a similar incident was caused by a lightning strike back in 2019.
Victoria signs global initiative to reach 100 pct zero-emission freight vehicles by 2040
The Driven AU EV ·
The Victorian Labor government has joined a global initiative committed to enabling 100 per cent zero-emission new truck and bus sales by 2040.
Community group launches new neighbourhood battery, with EV charging bays
The Driven AU EV ·
Community group celebrates the launch of its latest neighbourhood battery, but with a twist, as the new battery in inner-city suburb features two EV charging bays. More are planned.
Video: GAC AION V review – Still worth considering in 2026?
The Driven AU EV ·
The AION V arrived in Australia in 2025 as part of the growing wave of Chinese electric SUVs - but does it still stack up against newer rivals?
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Beyond the OCE
Women’s leadership is everywhere in Ukraine
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Yuliana Onishchuk, founder and CEO of the Charitable organisation Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation.
Solar PPAs raise Spanish spot prices, not suppress them
PV Magazine GLOBAL Markets ·
A peer-reviewed analysis of the Spanish electricity market indicates that physical bilateral contracts for wind and solar assets now elevate wholesale spot prices during high-penetration periods. This finding contradicts earlier trends where such renewable agreements typically suppressed market prices during initial deployment phases.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Daqo, Tongwei, Aiko Solar post Q1 losses
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
Major Chinese solar manufacturers Daqo, Tongwei, and Aiko Solar recorded net losses for Q1 2024 as persistent polysilicon and module price declines compressed margins despite higher production volumes. The financial downturn reflects ongoing global supply-demand imbalances and pricing pressures affecting the upstream PV supply chain.
The Hydrogen Stream: Ireland’s LCOH on par with Morocco, Brazil
PV Magazine GLOBAL Hydrogen ·
A Fraunhofer ISE and ESB study indicates Ireland's green hydrogen production costs are competitive with Morocco and Brazil due to high wind capacity. The research suggests the nation's renewable power-to-X potential is bolstered by favorable wind resources, existing infrastructure, and supportive policy frameworks.
EnerVenue piloting ‘30,000-cycle’ nickel-hydrogen BESS in China
Energy-Storage.News GLOBAL Storage ·
EnerVenue has launched a pilot nickel-hydrogen battery energy storage project in Jintan, China, to test its 30,000-cycle technology. The deployment aims to demonstrate the long-duration capabilities of the firm's proprietary storage systems in a real-world operational setting.
UK grants development consent for offshore wind farms
Power Technology GLOBAL Wind ·
The UK government has granted development consent for the Dogger Bank South offshore wind projects and the North Falls offshore wind farm.
System-level BESS manufacturing defects cause ‘hidden risk’ for developers, Intertek CEA says
Energy-Storage.News GLOBAL Storage ·
Intertek CEA’s 2025 audits identified that most battery energy storage system defects occur at the system level rather than the cell level. These manufacturing flaws present significant hidden risks for developers if they remain undetected during the procurement and installation phases.
Fraunhofer ISE achieves 31.3% record solar-to-hydrogen efficiency in CPV electrolysis
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
Researchers at the German institute built a photovoltaic water electrolysis system based on micro-concentrator photovoltaics coupled to proton exchange membrane electrolysis.
Inox Clean buys U.S. PV manufacturing assets of Boviet Solar for $750 million
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
Through this million asset purchase, Inox Clean acquires 3 GW of operational TOPCon solar module manufacturing capacity in the United States, aligning with the “Make in America, For America” initiative.
Sunraycer secures $901m for Texas solar and storage projects
Power Technology GLOBAL Storage ·
Sunraycer Renewables has closed a $901 million project financing package to fund the construction and operation of three hybrid solar and battery storage facilities located in Texas.
On the Wire
Blocking pattern lifts irradiance from France to Finland while storms hit the east
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
In a new weekly update for pv magazine , Solcast, a DNV company, reports that a persistent high-pressure system over the North Sea created a major April solar irradiance surplus across western and northern Europe by suppressing clouds and boosting GH…
Caledonia and Buchan wind farms secure onshore consents
Power Technology GLOBAL Wind ·
Aberdeenshire Council has granted planning approval for the onshore infrastructure required by both the Caledonia and Buchan wind farms.
Iberdrola launches 195MW Tâmega Norte wind farm in Portugal
Power Technology GLOBAL Wind ·
Iberdrola has commissioned the 195MW Tâmega Norte wind farm, situated between Braga and Vila Real in Portugal's Cabeceiras de Basto and Montalegre municipalities.
Argentina commissions 360 MW solar farm
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
The $220 million project has a capacity of 305 MW and is located in the province of Mendoza, in the sunny Cuyo region.
Zelestra energises 1GWh hybrid BESS project in Chile
Energy-Storage.News GLOBAL Storage ·
Spanish developer and independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has energised its 1GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Rept Battero opens Indonesian cell and BESS manufacturing facility
Energy-Storage.News GLOBAL Storage ·
China-based Rept Battero has officially opened its lithium-ion cell and BESS manufacturing facility in Indonesia.
Brazil deploys 4.4 GW of solar in Q1
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
Brazil added 4.4 GW of solar capacity in Q1 2026, led by 2.3 GW of utility-scale and 2.2 GW of distributed generation, with continued strong expansion expected if current rates persist.
China TOPCon module prices hold steady as supplier price gap widens
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
In a new weekly update for pv magazine , OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
HY Solar unveils 670 W TOPCon modules with 24.8% efficiency
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
HY Solar has launched the HT3.0 quad-cut module at its Jiangyin base, marking an upgrade to its n-type portfolio built on TOPCon 3.0 cell technology with up to 27.5% cell efficiency.
German scientists explore whether solar power plants can induce rain in deserts
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
The research project combines LiDAR measurements with advanced meteorological simulations to assess the climatic impacts of large-scale photovoltaic installations in desert regions.
Heterojunction PV modules with low silver content tested in world’s sunniest region
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
Chilean company Atamostec is testing low-silver heterojunction solar modules under real desert conditions at the Atacama Desert Solar Platform (PSDA) in partnership with France’s CEA-Ines.
Mercedes-Benz says electric variants of its CLA compact sedan coming to Australia
The Driven AU EV ·
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it will bring a five-variant lineup of its CLA compact sedan to Australia, including two fully electric models.
Mitsubishi launches propane air-to-water heat pumps for large homes, light commercial applications
PV Magazine GLOBAL Solar ·
Mitsubishi has expanded its Hydrolution EZY R290 heat pump series with two models with capacities of 10 kW and 14 kW. The new products use R290 refrigerant and can deliver up to 75 C flow temperatures.