Rachel Williamson, Author at Renew Economy

Rachel Williamson

Contributor

Rachel Williamson is a science and business journalist, who focuses on climate change-related health and environmental issues.

Renewables

Plan to power off-grid data centre with solar, gas and a 16 gigawatt-hour battery seeks federal green tick
Project Ares wants to build a 1 GW data centre on a cattle station on Australia’s Top End and power it with 3 GW of solar and a 16 GWh battery. It also wants to build a giga-scale gas plant.
Rachel Williamson

Jul 1, 2026

6
Renewables

Green hydrogen hopes lift as “headstart” project reaches crucial financial milestone
Just two projects were funded under Hydrogen Headstart and one has just reached FID, with work to start imminently.
Rachel Williamson

Jul 1, 2026

2
Policy & Planning

Signs of life for wind and battery projects stuck in state planning limbo, but minister still has final word
Two wind and battery projects stuck in state government’s “call-in” queue for more than a year are moving forward, as the developer prepares to resubmit revised development applications.
Rachel Williamson

Jul 1, 2026

1
Gas

State EPA waves through Gina Rinehart’s new gas plant, refers cockatoo question to mining department
State EPA defers native tree clearing decisions to the department of mines for the new gas plant application from Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Energy.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 30, 2026

1
Renewables

HMC unveils new-look energy development arm to advance pipeline of “fully funded” projects
HMC Capital has settled on a name for its growing portfolio of energy assets and says the “near-term” project pipeline is “fully funded to FID-ready status.”
Rachel Williamson

Jun 30, 2026

1
Wind

Slimmed-down wind and battery project receives state planning approval, solar component dropped
World’s biggest independent renewable developer gets state planning approval for a slimmed down wind and battery project that no longer includes a solar component.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 29, 2026

5
Utilities

“Logjam of loads:” Network says data centre rush will push some parts of grid to capacity by 2033
The operator of Australia’s biggest transmission network says a highly coveted part of its grid will be largely full by 2033 thanks to the huge influx of data centres.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 24, 2026

4
Renewables

Developer pitches huge 1 gigawatt new wind project for Queensland’s north
Developer unveils its second giga-scale renewable energy project proposal this week, with the website launch of a wind farm proposed for north Queensland.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 19, 2026

2
Battery

Macquarie storage offshoot presents two four-hour battery projects for federal green tick
Storage specialist has nine projects in its portfolio in Australia, with two going public on the EPBC on one day.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 18, 2026

0
Markets

Frequency penalties are costing some solar farms millions, but this is the market working
Data shows solar farms and big batteries are the biggest loser and winner following changes to who gets paid or penalised for grid instability.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 18, 2026

2
Policy & Planning

Demand response trials could open up more than 1 gigawatt of extra grid capacity
This may be one of the most important trials underway today, at least if data centres are to provide the grid services they promise.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 18, 2026

2
Policy & Planning

Contested wind project pivots turbines and cuts footprint after discovering more endangered cycads
Wind farm developer has shaved 110 hectares off its footprint after working with EPBC planners to improve the environmental credentials of the contested project.
Rachel Williamson

Jun 17, 2026

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