Is it possible for wind and solar to supply reliable, dependable electricity day or night, regardless of the weather?

One of the biggest criticisms of renewable energy has been the simple fact that the output of wind and solar farms can vary depending on the weather and time of day.

When renewables made up a small part of the generation mix, that variability wasn’t a big problem. But as wind and solar do more of the heavy lifting, it is vital that we find ways to store energy for those times when less energy is being generated.

In this episode of ReWired: Solving the Energy Puzzle, we look at one of the newest - and most headline grabbing - large-scale storage technologies.

Just like the AA cells that historically powered devices like transistor radios, massive battery banks today store energy in electric vehicles and increasingly offer a way to support the electricity grid.

Hear Edify Energy CEO John Cole tell us about the 25 MW / 50 MWh battery they have installed alongside their solar farm at Gannawarra in northern Victoria. 

Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman shares her perspective on the role storage technologies like batteries have a role to play 'firming' the variable output of wind and solar farms, and helping to keep the lights on.

We also hear from Climateworks CEO Anna Skarbek, who believes that batteries will be an important part of the future energy portfolio. She shares her belief that flagship projects like the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia provide a glimpse of the future and help to shift the conversation around the energy transition.

Stay up to date

ARENA Rewired: Solving the Energy Puzzle is available wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe now so you get a notification when new episodes are released.

You can help us grow the podcast by sharing it with your friends, family and colleagues, and let us know what you think on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Is it possible for wind and solar to supply reliable, dependable electricity day or night, regardless of the weather?
One of the biggest criticisms of renewable energy has been the simple fact that the output of wind and solar farms can vary depending on the weather and time of day.
When renewables made up a small part of the generation mix, that variability wasn&rsquo;t a big problem. But as wind and solar do more of the heavy lifting, it is vital that we find ways to store energy for those times when less energy is being generated.
In this episode of ReWired: Solving the Energy Puzzle, we look at one of the newest - and most headline grabbing - large-scale storage technologies.
Just like the AA cells that historically powered devices like transistor radios, massive battery banks today store energy in electric vehicles and increasingly offer a way to support the electricity grid.
Hear Edify Energy CEO John Cole tell us about the 25 MW / 50 MWh battery they have installed alongside their solar farm at Gannawarra in northern Victoria.&nbsp;
Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman shares her perspective on the role storage technologies like batteries have a role to play 'firming' the variable output of wind and solar farms, and helping to keep the lights on.
We also hear from Climateworks CEO Anna Skarbek, who believes that batteries will be an important part of the future energy portfolio. She shares her belief that flagship projects like the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia provide a glimpse of the future and help to shift the conversation around the energy transition.
Stay up to date
ARENA Rewired: Solving the Energy Puzzle is available wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe now so you get a notification when new episodes are released.
You can help us grow the podcast by sharing it with your friends, family and colleagues, and let us know what you think on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AustRenewableEnergyAgency/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ARENA_aus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/arena_aus">LinkedIn</a>.

Rewired is back for its biggest season yet.

In season four, we will hear how ARENA funding is helping to trial new ways of producing metals like steel and aluminium using renewable energy.

Experts will share progress commercialising technologies like renewable hydrogen and electric vehicles, which are finally achieving long-held potential.

And we will explore how Australia’s riches of wind and solar could unlock opportunities to undertake more energy-intensive processes onshore, creating jobs and wealth.

This is our most ambitious season to date, with twice as many episodes giving us the chance to showcase more of the ways Australia is unlocking a renewable energy future.

Find out more at www.arena.gov.au/blog. 

Rewired is back for its biggest season yet.
In season four, we will hear how ARENA funding is helping to trial new ways of producing metals like steel and aluminium using renewable energy.
Experts will share progress commercialising technologies like renewable hydrogen and electric vehicles, which are finally achieving long-held potential.
And we will explore how Australia&rsquo;s riches of wind and solar could unlock opportunities to undertake more energy-intensive processes onshore, creating jobs and wealth.
This is our most ambitious season to date, with twice as many episodes giving us the chance to showcase more of the ways Australia is unlocking a renewable energy future.
Find out more at <a href="http://www.arena.gov.au/blog">www.arena.gov.au/blog</a>.&nbsp;

Australia is in the midst of an energy revolution and The Innovators wants to take you to the cutting edge of it.  It's a place of hydrogen-producing solar paint, of virtual power plants and energy cryptocurrencies.  It's a place of pure innovation and leadership, sparked by individuals with a renewable energy future in their sights and, often, extraordinary stories of their own to tell.  Yes, between the politics, the market and the consumer, there's a lot of noise distorting the energy debate right now.  We want to cut through that with stories of world-leading technology, bold ideas, the value of persistence and would you believe it, the motivating force of failure.  Hosted by Adam Morton, The Innovators is a six-part series and is the second of the Rewired podcasts powered by ARENA, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.  Find out more at www.arena.gov.au/blog

Rewired

One of the biggest criticisms of renewable energy has been the simple fact that the output of wind and solar farms can vary depending on the weather and time of day. But that is changing with new energy storage technologies like massive, grid-scale batteries

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