The Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) latest Connections Scorecard shows a surge in new generation and storage capacity reaching full output in the National Electricity Market (NEM), with 29 projects totalling 4.4GW in the 12 months to June.
AEMO executive general manager system design Merryn York said the pipeline of new projects reaching full output in the NEM had reached a record level in the 2024-25 financial year.
Related article: AEMO unveils engineering priorities for renewable grid
“The investment pipeline in the NEM continues to build, which is critical as decades-old generation approaches retirement,” she said.
“Pleasingly, 29 projects totalling 4.4GW of capacity reached full output this year, double last year’s total.”
In the June quarter alone, 10 projects1 amounting to 1.5GW reached full output.
The new projects that are now competing in the NEM include grid-scale solar (1.52GW), wind (1.42GW), hybrid solar plus battery (0.13GW), standalone batteries (1.3GW) and gas (43MW).
Earlier stage developments were also strong, with 37 projects (9GW) achieving registration, up substantially from 2.5GW last year, and 60 projects (15.7GW) securing application approvals.
“At the end of June, there were 260 projects (totalling 53GW) in the connections process, a 39% increase in capacity compared to the same time last year. Of this, 7GW is already built and commissioning to full output,” 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,” York said.
Related article: Transmission, planning delays spook renewables investors
In addition to the seven grid forming batteries in the NEM cuurrentloy, a further 78 totalling 15.6GW 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,” York said.
