Australia’s home battery market has accelerated sharply since July.

More than 43,000 new systems have been registered under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and 50,000 batteries installed through the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program.

The latest data shows 23,925 additional solar battery installations since July, bringing the SRES tally to 43,517 units connected with rooftop solar systems.

These systems represent a total nominal capacity of 825 megawatt-hours (MWh), with an average installation size of 19.0 kilowatt-hours (kWh). The figures cover approved and pending applications for small-scale technology certificates (STCs), but exclude failed or unsubmitted claims.

The Albanese Government confirmed separately that its Cheaper Home Batteries program has reached 50,000 installations in just two months, adding 900 MWh of storage capacity – about a quarter of all residential battery capacity installed in Australia before the end of 2024.

The scheme offers an average 30 per cent discount on eligible batteries, targeting households, small businesses and community groups.

“Australians know that batteries mean cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy,” said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen.

“In just two months, 50,000 batteries have been installed, that’s thousands of households, small businesses and community groups taking control of their energy and their bills.”

“This program is working in the suburbs, in the regions and in our cities. Australians are proving the naysayers and climate change deniers wrong – they want to be part of the clean energy future.”

Take-up has been strongest in outer suburban and regional areas, particularly in Queensland and South Australia.

In western Sydney, Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman noted high uptake: “People have calculated the long-term savings they can make, and the discount has made a difference with the upfront costs.”

Battery storage capacity is emerging as a key element in easing evening peak demand and reducing stress on distribution networks.

More detailed postcode-level data on approved STC applications will be released later this month.

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Fox ESS has announced the integration of its battery energy storage systems with Evergen, now part of the Intellihub Group, unlocking participation in one of Australia’s key Virtual Power Plant (VPP) platforms.

The cloud-to-cloud integration allows Fox ESS customers to access Evergen’s Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS), enabling advanced behind-the-meter optimisation, wholesale energy market access, and participation in VPP programs.

The move adds to Fox ESS’s growing list of VPP-compatible systems, further embedding it in Australia’s distributed energy ecosystem.

Evergen’s platform supports a range of distributed energy resources, including inverters, batteries, and electric vehicles.

Its software enables real-time orchestration, trading and optimisation for both utility-scale and behind-the-meter assets.

Intellihub describes its VPP and demand flexibility services as a response to grid instability challenges caused by the proliferation of consumer energy resources (CERs).

Its Demand Flexibility Platform aims to simplify multi-device coordination for VPP operators.

“By combining our network and offerings with their software, we are excited at the prospects of even greater enablement of a more distributed and decentralised energy system in Australia and around the world,” Intellihub said in a statement.

Fox ESS says the integration strengthens its position in the Australian market and “unlocks greater value for clean energy users nationwide”.

The Evergen platform has already underpinned VPP trials with Ausgrid, Powershop, and Economic Development Queensland, demonstrating dispatchable capabilities across mixed DER fleets.

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Victoria has added a new 100 MW battery energy storage system in the Latrobe Valley, bolstering grid stability and supporting the state’s renewable energy transition.

The Latrobe Valley BESS (Battery Energy Storage System), developed and operated by Tilt Renewables, was officially opened this week beside the Morwell terminal station.

The facility has an initial capacity of 100 megawatts (MW)/200 megawatt-hours (MWh) and is designed to store excess energy – particularly from solar during the day – for dispatch in peak demand periods.

The project represents a significant technical milestone, marking the first deployment globally of the full Fluence product ecosystem with its OS7 operating system.

The system integrates Gridstack hardware, Mosaic AI-powered bidding software, and Nispera performance management technology.

“Latrobe Valley BESS is the first project globally to deploy the full Fluence product ecosystem… all working together to maximise performance, value, and resilience,” said Fluence General Manager Jason Beer.

Tilt Renewables CEO Anthony Fowler credited strong collaboration for the project’s delivery.

“This project wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible efforts of our team, the support of the Latrobe Valley community, and the expertise of our delivery partners Fluence, AEMO, and AusNet,” he said.

Construction created 45 direct jobs and 240 indirect roles, with three ongoing operational positions established.

Key partners included Zenviron (balance of plant works), Wilson Transformers (connection asset transformer), LAI (switchroom manufacturing), and TwoMorrows Electrical.

“This battery is a powerful symbol of our commitment to a cleaner, more reliable energy future,” said Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio said.

“It will help us meet our ambitious 95 per cent renewable energy target by 2035 and ensure Victorians have access to affordable, secure power.”

The Latrobe Valley BESS adds to Victoria’s existing portfolio of 12 large-scale batteries, with a combined capacity of over 1 GW.

It will play a role in helping Victoria meet legislated storage targets of 2.6 GW by 2030 and 6.3 GW by 2035.

Tilt Renewables operates 1.9 GW of renewable assets across Australia and is advancing a 5 GW development pipeline.

The company describes the Latrobe Valley project as a cornerstone investment in regional clean energy infrastructure and a driver for local economic transition.

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Australia will inject a fresh $150 million into domestic solar manufacturing.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is opening Round 2 of its $1 billion Solar Sunshot program.

The new funding round targets critical but underdeveloped segments of the solar photovoltaic (PV) supply chain, including framing, solar glass, junction boxes and deployment technologies.

Applications open on September 23.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the program was a pivotal opportunity to establish a sovereign solar manufacturing capability.

“Australia has the opportunity to build high-quality products across the solar PV supply chain. Although we have a very small production capability today, we have the skills, partnerships and raw materials to establish a strong base that can be built on over the next decade,” Miller said.

Round 2 builds on Round 1A, which allocated up to $500 million to module manufacturing and is now closed, and Round 1B, which makes up to $50 million available for feasibility and engineering studies through to November 2026.

Among the first recipients were Sydney-headquartered 5B, awarded up to $46 million to expand production of its prefabricated Maverick solar array system; Adelaide’s Tindo Solar, granted $34.5 million to boost domestic module manufacturing; and three early-stage upstream studies backed with a combined $11 million.

“Round 1 is already proving that with the right backing, Australian companies can scale up solar manufacturing,” Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said.

“Round 2 is the next step – targeting critical parts of the supply chain to build resilience, security and new jobs.”

Australia has the world’s highest rate of household solar adoption, but less than one per cent of installed panels are produced domestically.

The Solar Sunshot program is designed to close that gap by fostering a resilient and diverse local supply chain, while positioning Australia as a competitive player in the global PV market.

Further details on eligibility, timelines and assessment criteria for Round 2 are available on the ARENA website.

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A new Australian-made solar framing system is turning heads not just for its engineering, but also for its low-carbon footprint and circular economy credentials.

Solar Waves is a utility-scale solar deployment innovation developed by Sydney-based clean-tech company Green Energy Systems (GES).

This patented, prefabricated solution scraps traditional solar racking hardware like nuts, bolts, screws, or clamps, in favour of interlocking aluminium profiles that snap together.

The system is made entirely from Capral Aluminium’s low-carbon LocAl Green aluminium, delivering a streamlined, recyclable structure designed for automation.

GES founder and CEO Glenn Carless says the innovation was born from necessity and a willingness to re-imagine solar.

“We immediately recognised that by combining the PV panel frame with the racking system, we could produce something that was stronger, lighter, cheaper – and that formed an entire waterproof roof,” Carless says.

“Traditional fixings are a barrier to automation. Robots don’t like dexterous tasks like tightening bolts. We had to eliminate them to make full factory automation possible.”

That vision is now being realised. Solar Waves is the chosen technology for Project Nexus in California, a landmark trial to cover thousands of miles of irrigation canals with solar panels.

The pilot, led by Solar AquaGrid, has the potential to generate 20 gigawatts of solar power and prevent billions of litres of water loss through evaporation.

GES’s role is pivotal.

“They’d spent two years and $20 million looking for a viable solution,” Carless says.

“We’re delivering a plug-and-play system that arrives fully prewired, preassembled and ready to roll out. You connect the plug at one end, and that’s it.”

“It’s a complete solar appliance.”

Aluminium reinvented

Key to this breakthrough is Capral’s LocAl Green aluminium – locally extruded aluminium sourced from primary aluminium smelters using alternative energy sources. Its embodied carbon is capped at eight kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram (kg CO₂e/kg), with an even lower ‘Super Green’ option, also available
with a maximum of just 4kg CO₂e/kg.

“LocAl is our response to the growing demand for materials with lower embodied emissions,” says Leanne Cannarella, Industrial Account Manager at Capral.

“Solar developers like Glenn build their entire business on sustainability. It only makes sense that the materials match that ethos.”

Unlike traditional aluminium, which in Australia can average up to 20kg CO₂e/kg due to coal-based smelting, LocAl is part of Capral’s strategic shift to greener sourcing. Though currently imported, Capral is pushing for domestic production of low-carbon billet by the end of the decade.

“We’re proud to be the first Australasian extruder certified to the ASI Performance and Chain of Custody standards,” Cannarella says.

“It means our LocAl aluminium is responsibly sourced, and emission verified.”

Precision profiles, not heavy hardware

The Solar Waves system uses custom-designed Capral aluminium extrusions, engineered to fit together like modular components.

“One of the incredible benefits of aluminium is the ability to create highly detailed, intricate profiles,” says Cannarella.

“That allows for snap fits and grooves, eliminating the need for mechanical fasteners.”

This combination of design detail and extrusion precision has allowed GES to halve the material content compared to traditional solar racking systems, while still achieving Category Five cyclone strength ratings.

“All we use is aluminium, nothing else,” says Carless.

“We’ve managed to make the system stronger than everybody else’s, even though we’re using about half the amount of material.

“The unique profiles slide and click into place. There are about 20 different components, and that’s it – no extra steel, no concrete.

“Capral’s ability to produce tight tolerances was essential,” he says.

“We even solved a friction issue by adding micro-fluting to a ball-joint fitting, just to allow smooth robotic handling.”

The resulting modular units – dubbed ‘MegaWaves’ – can be deployed in hours, drastically reducing installation time and labour. GES estimates its in-factory assembly cost is just two cents per watt, compared to 20 to 30 cents using conventional methods.

From paddock to canal, via the vineyard

While most large-scale solar is destined for paddocks, GES has broader ambitions. Its technology is adaptable to rooftops, reservoirs, car parks, and even elevated agrivoltaic systems – where solar panels float above crops to provide shade and water protection.

“We’ve been approached by universities for trials over vineyards. Our panels form a waterproof roof that can collect and redirect rainwater,” Carless says.

“We use that water to irrigate or – and this is another big one – to clean the panels.”

The built-in cleaning system recycles rainwater through a small DC pump and internal jets along the panel ridge.

“Dirty panels can lose up to 30 per cent of their efficiency over time,” Carless says.

“Cleaning saves up to $1 million per megawatt over 30 years – and ours is the only system with an integrated solution.”

Australian collaboration with global impact

For Capral, supporting innovation in renewables is a deliberate strategy.

“We want to partner with companies like GES who are pushing sustainability forward,” Cannarella says.

“That’s why we’re in marine, transport, construction – and now renewables.”

GES’s first factory, currently in planning, is expected to produce 400 megawatts of Solar Waves systems annually – equivalent to $400 million in product.

“It’s not just a few window frames. This is large-scale manufacturing,” Carless says.

“And it’s local. Because our system uses less material, we can afford to buy Australian aluminium and still beat the rest on price.”

Futureproofing through circular design

GES’s all-aluminium system is fully recyclable at end of life – a key contrast to rival technologies that rely on concrete, galvanised steel or complex composites.

“There’s no other utility-scale system that is 100 per cent recyclable,” says Carless.

“And because we’ve eliminated complexity, the second life of our panels will be even cheaper than the first.”

Capral is also working to boost circularity. It has signed agreements with Rio Tinto’s Boyne Smelter to remelt post-production scrap into billet with a minimum of 20 per cent recycled content. While barriers remain – especially in energy use and emissions at local smelters – the company is working with upstream suppliers to lift the share of recycled aluminium in its products.

A new path for Australian manufacturing

Carless sees real potential for Australia to lead in low-carbon solar manufacturing, if automation is embraced.

“We can’t compete with Chinese wages, but we can with robots. If we fully automate, we can win on speed, quality, and cost,” he says.

“We don’t need people tightening bolts. We need technicians overseeing machines.”

Capral’s team agrees.

“Our job is to provide the materials, the design support, and the partnerships that make ideas like Solar Waves possible.”

This Australian collaboration could well signal a new frontier where clean energy, low-carbon materials and smart manufacturing come together, not just to compete, but to lead.

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Fraud risks are growing across Australia’s carbon, renewable energy and nature repair markets, and regulators are urging whistleblowers to step forward.

The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has launched a new anonymous reporting channel via Whispli, making it easier for individuals to report false claims, misleading documentation or failures to declare Fit and Proper Person (FPP) matters.

Reports of fraud can be made via the CER’s website.

“Any dishonest act to obtain benefits or cause losses constitutes fraud,” the CER states.

“Whistleblowers play a crucial role in uncovering non-compliance and fraud.”

The regulator administers four key schemes: the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme, the Emissions Reduction Fund, the Renewable Energy Target, and the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units. Its updated compliance policy, last revised in January, outlines an “intelligence-led risk-based approach” to monitoring and enforcement.

Participants are categorised by their behaviour and willingness to comply. Those who engage early and correct errors are supported, while those who deliberately mislead regulators face escalation. This can include suspension, deregistration, civil penalty proceedings or referral for criminal prosecution.

Enforcement action is likely where there is suspected fraud, repeated non-compliance, or conduct with significant market impact. Tools available to the CER range from infringement notices and enforceable undertakings to injunctions, debt recovery and the relinquishment of Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs).

The CER’s compliance strategy prioritises stopping harm and deterring illegitimate activity. Data analysis, cross-checking of reports against third-party information, geospatial intelligence and targeted audits are central to its monitoring operations.

Entities attempting to conceal links with previously disqualified operators are a particular focus, as such connections can threaten FPP requirements. The regulator warns that participants who fail to meet these obligations may be removed from schemes.

Transparency is also a feature of the compliance approach. The CER publishes details of enforceable undertakings, court outcomes and infringement notices, unless publication risks compromising an active investigation.

Industry participants are encouraged to review the regulator’s compliance framework and reporting channels, particularly as market mechanisms expand under Australia’s net zero trajectory.

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Tasmania’s long-promised role as the “battery of the nation” is moving closer.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has confirmed that $3.8 billion in financing has been secured for Stage One of the Marinus Link undersea transmission project.

The CEFC says this marks financial close, clearing the way for construction of the 345-kilometre cable between Tasmania and Victoria.

The link is designed to transfer up to 1.5 GW of electricity, enabling Tasmania’s hydro and wind resources to firm variable solar and wind generation on the mainland.

Clean Energy Council Chief Policy and Impact Officer William Churchill said the milestone was a major boost for Australia’s energy transition.

“Tasmania’s promise to become the ‘battery of the nation’ is a step closer to being realised, with today’s announcement of Marinus Link Stage One reaching financial close,” he said.

The project is expected to allow low-cost surplus solar generation from Victoria to flow south during the day, while Tasmanian hydropower can be dispatched northwards at peak demand periods.

The two-way capability is seen as critical for balancing the National Electricity Market (NEM) as coal-fired plants retire over the next five years.

Churchill said the interconnector would accelerate development of new renewable generation.

“We know that this vital infrastructure that will increase the viability of future wind farm development and energy export capacity from the Apple Isle to the mainland, speeding up our nation’s transition to clean energy as we exit Australia’s ageing, inefficient and costly coal-fired power fleet in the next five years,” he said.

The cable also incorporates fibre optic lines, with the potential to increase broadband capacity between Victoria and Tasmania by 150-fold.

“Marinus Link’s fibre optic cables will also drive up broadband speeds, increasing internet capacity between Victoria and Tasmania by 150 times, which is good news for everyone,” Churchill said.

Marinus Link has been in planning for more than a decade, with technical studies, route surveys and regulatory assessments completed since 2017.

Stage One involves a single 750 MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable, with a potential Stage Two expansion to follow subject to market conditions and demand growth.

Analysts note that the timing of commissioning will be crucial, with the NEM forecast to face supply risks from 2028 as multiple coal units close.

Marinus Link is positioned as one of the few large-scale transmission projects capable of providing both firming capacity and greater system security.

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A Bunbury engineering firm will pilot local production of wind turbine components after securing more than $2 million in government co-investment.

RCR Advanced Technologies, part of the RCR Mining Technologies group, is the second recipient under the Cook Government’s $8 million Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program.

The $5.3 million project will focus on manufacturing transition flanges, which connect turbine towers to their foundations and are currently produced overseas.

The company will receive $2,047,900 in matched funding to expand its Bunbury workshop, purchase specialised machinery, and upgrade quality control systems to meet international turbine developer standards.

RCR is in negotiations with global manufacturers, including Vestas, to produce flanges locally, aiming to reduce reliance on imports, cut shipping costs, and improve supply chain certainty.

The project is forecast to create up to 48 jobs and generate $36 million in revenue over the next five years. The investment will also support workforce training for future refurbishment of high-value turbine components such as gearboxes and drive shafts.

Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said: “RCR Advanced Technologies is harnessing its strong track record in manufacturing by expanding its capabilities and creating new jobs to deliver critical components for the growing wind energy sector.”

RCR Advanced Technologies Manager Neville Kelly said: “RCR is in a prime position to upskill local workers and provide employment related to modern energy sources, while leveraging our mining sector heritage in engineering projects to meet burgeoning demand from the onshore wind energy supply chain in Western Australia.”

The program, delivered in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, funds up to half of eligible project costs, with industry partners required to co-invest. It supports manufacturers at both market-entry and growth stages. RCR joins Australian Winders as the second recipient, with more than $2.5 million committed to date.

With several WA wind farms exceeding one gigawatt in the pipeline, state officials say the program aims to anchor a competitive local manufacturing base to underpin the transition to clean energy.

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Landholders are finding themselves at the frontlines of renewable energy transformation.

While regional and remote properties are increasingly in demand for solar arrays, wind turbines and storage installations, many landholders are poorly equipped to understand the value and impact of hosting renewable infrastructure. This can make progress slow and frustrate both developers and landowners.

This is an information gap that RELA Australia is closing.

With the support of $500,000 in Federal funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the marketplace platform is rolling out a significant upgrade to its land assessment software: Assess 2.0.

The tool offers free, independent desktop assessments of a parcel’s renewable energy potential – data that can help landowners make informed decisions, protect core farm operations, and negotiate better outcomes when approached by developers.

The aim is not just to increase project uptake, but to rebalance power in negotiations and build lasting social licence for the energy transition.

“We’re neither developers nor landowners,” says RELA CEO Michael Katz.

“Our neutrality means we can be fact-based. We don’t set the market – we provide landowners the facts, so they can engage on an equal footing.”

Self help avoids advisory bottleneck

The original version of the tool (Assess 1.0) offers useful insights but required RELA staff to manually run reports on a landholder’s behalf. This makes the process resource-intensive and limits its reach.

With Assess 2.0, RELA is creating a fully self-service platform, enabling landowners or their advisors to input property details and receive an automated, data-driven report in minutes.

“It’s much faster and far more scalable,” says Stuart Gourley, RELA’s Chief Product  Officer.

“We want it to be as easy as possible for landowners to get accurate, independent information about their land’s renewable energy potential.”

The desktop analysis draws on a wide range of geospatial and infrastructure data – vegetation cover, watercourses, topography, grid proximity and capacity, and more – layered with new social licence indicators and advanced grid analysis.

Importantly, it now incorporates landholders’ own farm planning priorities, including infrastructure placement, exclusion zones and land-use preferences. This cuts time and friction in the later stages of the negotiation.

“They can run different scenarios,” Gourley says.

“What if I make this part of my farm available? What if I want certain infrastructure to be unaffected? They can consider those different scenarios, weigh up the cost-benefit analysis, and make informed decisions about how they want to balance their opportunity.”

Reducing asymmetry, building confidence

Katz likens the current imbalance to selling a used car without knowing its market value.

“We’ve seen landholders sign deals that were undervalued – and others with wildly inflated expectations. Our job isn’t to push prices up or down. It’s to provide clarity, so landowners understand market dynamics,” he says.

“Sometimes the opportunity is to actually create value on your farm through these projects as well. One of our first clients said, ‘A road in the right place is an asset and a road in the wrong place is a liability.’”

That imbalance is not just financial. Farmers are experts in producing food and fibre, but not renewable energy projects.

An imbalanced market can erode trust, sour negotiations and slow project rollouts – problems the 2023 Dyer Community Engagement Review identified as key obstacles to Australia’s clean energy ambitions.

“The misconception is that if you’re a good negotiator and a good businessperson and you know the land, then you’re ready to negotiate a wind farm,” says Katz.

“But it’s a highly esoteric, complex negotiation. You need a good team around you – not just RELA, but also the right lawyers and financial advisors.”

The upgraded RELA Assess tool will not provide legal advice or guarantee outcomes, but it does give landholders a clear sense of whether their land is viable, what it might be worth in a renewables context, and how different land-use scenarios affect its potential.

Users receive estimates in terms of dollars per megawatt or turbine, indicative net present value of rental streams, and contextual grid data – all explained in plain language.

That transparency has another benefit: it helps reduce friction between landowners and developers.

As Gourley says, “We’re supportive of good projects and balanced outcomes. We want to help both sides get to agreement faster, based on a shared understanding of the facts.”

Stakeholder-led, landholder-focused

One of the most distinctive features of the Assess 2.0 project is how it is being shaped. From the beginning, RELA has embedded a Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) into the product’s development process. The group includes farmers, landholder advisors, agricultural peak bodies, First Nations representatives, as well as government and industry stakeholders.

It’s not just consultation for consultation’s sake, says Katz.

“There’s a saying I’ve heard from a lot of people in the regions: we’re over-consulted but under-engaged,” he says.

“People say, ‘What do you reckon?’ and then ignore it. What’s powerful here is that their perspectives of market participants are being represented in real tools being built for their people and implemented to market.

“Every SRG recommendation is formally tracked, responded to, and, where feasible, implemented. If it’s not feasible and in scope for this project, we’re considering how it could be implemented in the future. There’s a direct line from community and stakeholder insights to the product we’re releasing.”

That emphasis on co-design extends to how the tool supports First Nations perspectives and traditional land uses. While still in development, these features will be refined in future iterations with SRG guidance.

Guardrails and governance

RELA’s independence is core to its credibility. The company does not own land or develop energy projects, and it is not a party to the transaction itself. Assess 2.0 is free for landowners and strictly private. Users control their own data and no third parties can access or infer which properties have been assessed.

“We don’t have a position on energy policy or politics,” says Katz.

“Our view is that farmers should have access to the facts and data they need to make informed decisions, and that’s the role we play.”

Gourley says RELA has no plans to sell user data or allow backdoor access. The information is for the landowner and their advisors to use.

For landholders unable or unwilling to use the tool directly – whether due to limited digital literacy, connectivity, or preference – RELA will continue to offer staff-run assessments as in version 1.0. Advisors and agents will also be able to use the tool on a client’s behalf, further extending its reach.

Complementary to policy, not a replacement

While the Assess platform is independent, it aligns closely with national policy trends. The Federal Government’s upcoming Developer Rating Scheme – designed to increase transparency and trust in renewable project proponents – shares the same goals of fairer deals and informed engagement.

RELA’s tool does not assess or rate developers, but it gives landowners the foundational knowledge to interact with them from a position of strength.

The work also aligns with ARENA’s emphasis on social licence and landholder inclusion as preconditions for energy transition success.

According to Katz, RELA was able to demonstrate not only alignment with ARENA’s goals, but real-world outcomes: stalled projects that progressed after landholders used RELA tools to clarify their terms and conditions.

“Technology alone won’t get us to net zero,” he says.

“We need a social model that respects landholders’ knowledge, protects their operations, and shares the benefits.”

The road ahead

RELA plans to expand Assess to support battery storage assessments, and ways to integrate carbon and biodiversity offset opportunities, which are increasingly linked to renewables projects and offering landholders additional revenue streams.

“This isn’t just about helping farmers get a better deal,” Katz says.

“It’s about enabling regional Australia to take an active, informed, and equitable role in shaping the future of energy.”

The platform will remain free for landholders to access and use.

RELA’s expanded Assess platform is due to launch in the first quarter of 2026.

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Victoria has approved another major wind project, with the 400-megawatt Mt Fyans Wind Farm set to supply power to almost 250,000 homes in the state’s south-west.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny confirmed the project’s approval, making it the third-largest wind farm signed off by the Allan Government in the past decade. The facility will comprise 81 turbines near Mortlake and generate more than 100 construction jobs, alongside 10 permanent operational roles.

Wind energy remains Victoria’s largest renewable contributor, delivering 21 per cent of the state’s electricity in the first half of 2025. Wholesale market figures show Victoria averaged $106 per megawatt hour in the last financial year – significantly below prices in other states.

The Mt Fyans project was referred to a Planning Panel for review following consultation with residents, community groups and agencies. The panel supported the development on condition of biodiversity protections, including safeguards for bats and brolgas.

Located within the South-West Renewable Energy Zone, the wind farm forms part of Victoria’s Transmission Plan to cluster new generation in optimal areas. The state has so far met all renewable targets and is working toward 65 per cent generation by 2030 and 95 per cent by 2035.

The government estimates 67,000 workers will be required by 2040 to deliver the energy transition, a 60 per cent increase from today’s workforce.

Minister Kilkenny said: “We’re making good decisions faster that will still protect the local environment, while providing Victorian households with cheaper energy.”

Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio added: “The Mt Fyans Wind Farm will not only provide cheaper and reliable energy for hundreds of thousands of Victorians – it’ll also provide a major boost to the economy of South-West Victoria.”

Member for South West Victoria Jacinta Ermacora said: “Renewable energy is the cheapest form of new build energy available – it helps bring down power prices and creates great new jobs for locals.”

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