Pumped Hydro

Commentary

Explainer: What does it actually mean to “firm” renewables?
How does renewable energy firming work, how are we tracking with it in Australia and globally, and can it be applied to consumer energy resources too?
Peta Ashworth & Ehsan Pashajavid

Feb 11, 2025

11
Pumped Hydro

Another delay: Work stopped at all Snowy 2.0 tunnels over safety worries
Major pumped hydro project Snowy 2.0 is delayed again, this time due to worker safety concerns.
Rachel Williamson

Jan 29, 2025

6
Storage

Contractors named for new 12GWh pumped hydro storage project
Contractors named for early works on potential 12 GWh pumped hydro project – assuming the state government is still interested in long duration storage for renewables.
Joshua S Hill

Jan 28, 2025

8
Commentary

Best option for ditched Queensland pumped hydro project less than half the cost claimed by premier
Despite the strange claims made by the new Queensland premier, the best option for the ditched Pioneer Burdekin project were half those cited.
Andrew Blakers

Nov 18, 2024

0
Queensland premier says costs of dumped Pioneer pumped hydro project blew out to $37 billion
New Queensland government says it received confirmation that the pumped hydro project it scrapped within days of taking office had suffered a cost blowout to $37 billion.
Savannah Meacham

Nov 4, 2024

1
Storage

NSW sets new long duration storage target as it readies for grid after coal
NSW won’t reduce the 8-hour definition for long duration energy storage and is setting both a new target and regulations to make this field more attractive to developers.
Rachel Williamson

Oct 18, 2024

0
Storage

Queensland coal giant adds pumped hydro to growing energy storage mix
State owned generation company is buying a share in the so-called “Big-T” pumped hydro project proposed for 45km northeast of Toowoomba, as it moves away from coal.
Sophie Vorrath

Oct 7, 2024

0
Pumped Hydro

Snowy buys extra boring machine to support “disappointing” Florence as testing unearths more problems
A new boring machine will be operational by the end of 2025 and supplied by the same company that made the “disappointing” and frequently stuck Florence.
Rachel Williamson

Aug 26, 2024

0
Pumped Hydro

New consultation round opened for giant pumped hydro project
Queensland Hydro is setting up three different consultation avenues for locals to weigh in on the 2GW/24h Borumba project.
Rachel Williamson

Jul 10, 2024

0
Drought forces Tasmania to fire up its biggest gas plant for first time in five years
Tasmania fires up its biggest gas generator for first time in five years. It says this is because of low water levels, not low wind.
Giles Parkinson

Jun 20, 2024

0
Storage

AGL eyes quicker and cheaper pumped hydro “conversions” to back up wind and solar
AGL may convert some existing hydropower assets into pumped hydro, which it says will be quicker and cheaper than building from scratch.
Sophie Vorrath

Jun 14, 2024

0
Storage

Snowy 2.0 boring machine Florence now stuck for a month in hard rock
Snowy 2.0’s trouble-laden tunnel boring machine still stuck in hard rock a month after coming to latest halt, as contractors try to blast their way through with high pressure water jets.
Giles Parkinson

Jun 13, 2024

0