ARENA Archives - Renew Economy

Policy & Planning

Fortescue green iron rival wins Arena cash to scale up Perth demonstration plant
Element Zero, the upstart Pilbara green iron contender and survivor of a legal challenge from Fortescue, has won an Arena grant to scale-up of its Perth demonstration plant.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 2, 2026

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Policy & Planning

From solar cells to solar farms: Quest for ultra-low cost PV gets $100 million federal boost
Australian Renewable Energy Agency will invest more than $100 million across 20 research and development projects as part of its mission to further drive down the cost of solar power generation.
Joshua S Hill

Aug 31, 2026

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Renewables

Green hydrogen costs could tumble 68 pct by 2035, new study says. Experts are not so sure
Arena has published a techno-roadmap outlining the innovations and decisions that might lead to a massive reduction in green hydrogen costs.
Rachel Williamson

Aug 31, 2026

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Battery

“Fingerprints” of grid-forming inverters to be studied to assess their ability to replace spinning machines
UNSW is launching a study into an obscure technical part of the grid which could pave the way for a fully digital system with no reliance on spinning machines.
Rachel Williamson

Aug 18, 2026

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Renewables

Australia’s quest for ultra-low cost solar now depends on robots and drones, rather than cheaper panels
The quest for ultra-low cost solar is now far more dependent on cheaper construction methods and system integration rather than lower-priced cells and modules.
Sophie Vorrath

Jul 30, 2026

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Battery

Community battery rollout is way behind schedule, with only a quarter built on time
A report into the progress of the federal government’s Arena-backed community battery rollout has revealed long delays and some rising costs.
Rachel Williamson

Jul 3, 2026

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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

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Storage

Australia’s biggest isolated grid to soak up suburban solar with 18 new community batteries
Federal and state governments back rollout of 18 community batteries on parts of the grid with particularly high rooftop solar uptake.
Joshua S Hill

Jun 16, 2026

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Solar

Cheap power and brave investors needed for home-grown solar poly-silicon industry, report finds
Demand for poly-silicon that is not made in China could be the backstop for an Australian industry built out of a shrinking coal region, a government report says.
Rachel Williamson

May 25, 2026

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Hydrogen

No customers: Plans for Townsville hydrogen project scrapped after failing to find buyers for the product
Plans for a hydrogen project in north Queensland have been scrapped, with the develop to focus on a nearby massive solar-battery project instead.
Rachel Williamson

Apr 20, 2026

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Electrification

Can all solar homes become smart energy hubs? On paper – absolutely! IRL, a few hurdles remain
A South Australian trial to turn homes into grid-responsive energy hubs is now 100 households in, and has some brutal lessons to share.
Rachel Williamson

Feb 20, 2026

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Policy & Planning

A rule change request snuck in over Christmas could radically alter how the main grid functions
A rule change request quietly put through in December wants to radically change how the main grid works – by throwing open the data door to almost everyone.
Rachel Williamson

Feb 3, 2026

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