The Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO’s) latest Connections Scorecard shows a surge in new generation and storage capacity reaching full output in the National Electricity Market (NEM), 29 projects totalling 4.4 gigawatts (GW) in the 12 months to June.
Each quarter, AEMO develops a scorecard in collaboration with network service providers and market participants to track the progress of new generation and storage projects connecting to the NEM from application, registration and commissioning stages, through to full operation.
AEMO Executive General Manager System Design Merryn York said the pipeline of new projects reaching full output in the NEM has reached a record level in the 2024-25 financial year.
“The investment pipeline in the NEM continues to build, which is critical as decades-old generation approaches retirement,” Ms York said.
“Pleasingly, 29 projects totalling 4.4 GW of capacity reached full output this year, double last year’s total,” she added.
In the June quarter alone, 10 projects1 amounting to 1.5 GW reached full output.
The new projects that are now competing in the NEM include grid-scale solar (1.52 GW), wind (1.42 GW), hybrid solar plus battery (0.13 GW), standalone batteries (1.3 GW) and gas (43 megawatts).
Earlier stage developments were also strong, with 37 projects (9 GW) achieving registration, up substantially from 2.5 GW last year, and 60 projects (15.7 GW) securing application approvals.
“At the end of June, there were 260 projects (totalling 53 GW) in the connections process, a 39% increase in capacity compared to the same time last year. Of this, 7 GW is already built and commissioning to full output,” Ms York said.
AEMO has identified several investment trends in the latest scorecard, particularly in standalone batteries and hybrid projects.
“We’re seeing more hybrid projects, typically solar and grid-scale batteries, and standalone batteries with grid-forming inverters,” Ms York said.
In addition to the seven grid forming batteries in the NEM today, a further 78 totalling 15.6 GW are progressing through the pipeline.
“These trends show how investors are adjusting to the economics of negative wholesale electricity prices and using grid forming technology to support power system security,” she said.
In recent years, AEMO has undertaken significant work in collaboration with industry through the Engineering Roadmap to advance understanding of future technology capabilities, including grid-forming batteries to support power system security.
Earlier this month, AEMO published the Enhanced Location Information report to further assist investors in identifying location opportunities for developing generation and storage projects across NEM regions.
“Opportunities exist in all NEM regions for renewable and firming projects to deliver energy, capacity, and network support services,” Ms York said.
“This report presents key locational data to help investors understand where their projects are most likely to succeed, and where challenges, such as network congestion, curtailment, or energy losses, may arise,” she said.
1 Wollar Solar Farm (280 MW), Stubbo Solar Farm 2 (198 MW), Wunghnu Solar Farm (75 MW), Mannum 2 Solar Farm (30 MW), Kerang Solar Farm (30 MW), Greenbank Battery Energy Storage System (200 MW), Koorangie Energy Storage System (185 MW), Latrobe Valley Battery Energy Storage System (100 MW), Goyder South 1A Wind Farm (201 MW) and Goyder South 1B Wind Farm (196 MW)