Australia advances 53 GW of renewables through grid process

Australia Accelerates Renewable Energy Integration with 53 GW Pipeline

Australia’s clean energy transition is showing strong momentum, with a record 53 GW of new solar, wind, and storage projects currently moving through the National Electricity Market (NEM) grid connection process, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

AEMO’s latest Connections Scorecard reveals 260 active projects, a 40% increase compared to last year. The growth is attributed to a surge in battery storage and hybrid solar-plus-storage projects, with battery systems becoming the dominant technology in early-stage approvals.

“Many of these are grid-scale hybrid projects,” said AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman, noting the rise of grid-forming battery technology in particular.

Currently, seven grid-forming batteries are operational in the NEM. An additional 78 projects totaling 15.6 GW are progressing through various stages of development.

These trends reflect how developers are responding to negative daytime wholesale prices by shifting energy generation to storage, enabling dispatch later in the day when demand peaks.

Record Grid Approvals and Commissioning Activity

From June 2024 to June 2025, 60 projects totaling 15.7 GW received grid connection approvals — nearly 80% of NEM’s current capacity and a 39% year-on-year increase. Of this, 7 GW is already built and entering final testing.

Additionally:

• 37 projects (9 GW) were officially registered in the past 12 months (up from 2.5 GW last year).

• A record 29 projects (4.4 GW) reached full output — double the total from last year.

• In Q2 2025 alone, 10 projects (1.5 GW) began full operation.

These include:

• NSW: Wollar (280 MW) and Stubbo (198 MW) solar farms

• Victoria: Wunghnu (75 MW), Kerang (30 MW), and Latrobe Valley (100 MW/2300 MWh) batteries

• South Australia: Mannum (30 MW) solar, Goyder South 1A/1B wind

• Queensland: Greenbank (200 MW/400 MWh) battery

Outlook

Westerman said the scale and pace of progress is unmatched in Australia’s energy history, pointing to a record pipeline of clean generation and storage replacing aging coal power assets.

“These aren’t just numbers. They represent measurable progress toward a clean energy future,” he said.