Lava Blue commissions Australia’s first grid NAS battery as ZEBRE sees 360MWh BESS waved through EPBC Act

energy-storage.news Sep 14, 2026

Lava Blue commissions Australia’s first grid NAS battery as ZEBRE sees 360MWh BESS waved through EPBC Act

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 14, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Lava Blue has commissioned Australia’s first grid-connected sodium-sulfur battery storage system at its Brisbane facility, marking a significant milestone for long-duration energy storage. The 250kW/1.45MWh unit, manufactured by Japan’s NGK, integrates with a 200kW solar array and connects to the National Electricity Market. Developed through the Queensland Energy Storage Technology Hub, the system can supply 100% of the site’s peak load. This deployment coincides with NGK’s announcement to discontinue NAS battery production after losing financial backing from BASF. Meanwhile, ZEBRE, a joint venture between HD Renewable Energy and ZEN Energy, received a referral decision under the EPBC Act for its 180MW/360MWh Noblevale Battery project near Ipswich. The lithium-ion facility, located on a repurposed mining site, features a two-hour duration and will connect to the Blackstone substation. These developments highlight diverse approaches to grid stability, with Lava Blue leveraging existing NAS technology despite supply chain uncertainties, while ZEBRE advances a large-scale lithium-ion installation through federal environmental review processes in Queensland.

💡 Why It Matters

· The simultaneous commissioning of a legacy NAS system and the regulatory approval of a major lithium-ion project underscores the fragmented state of Australia's energy storage transition.
· While developers race to secure grid capacity, the impending end of NGK's NAS manufacturing creates immediate uncertainty for long-duration storage strategies that rely on this specific technology.

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Hyundai Motor backs Bill Gates-funded fusion firm in $1 billion raise

Hyundai Motor Group has invested in Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) as part of the company’s $1 billion capital raise aimed at building grid‑scale ARC fusion power plants. The partnership will explore engineering collaborations to commercialise CFS’s tokamak design, which uses high‑temperature superconducting magnets to generate roughly 1.1 GW of fusion power and deliver 400 MW of net electricity. CFS is completing its SPARC demonstration unit in Devens, Massachusetts, while preparing the Fall Line Fusion Power Station in Chesterfield County, Virginia, for an early‑2030s startup. The Virginia project has secured framework agreements, a PJM interconnection filing—the first by a fusion developer—and power purchase contracts with Dominion Energy, Google and Italy’s Eni.

💡 The deal links a major automaker to the first fusion venture seeking direct grid access, accelerating the path toward commercial clean‑energy generation.

energy-storage.news · Sep 14

‘Not to the detriment of the market’: Eku Energy on Australia’s Capacity…

Eku Energy’s chief commercial officer Elias Saba asserts that Australia’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) has not fundamentally altered the company’s investment strategy, despite accelerating deployment of four-hour battery storage assets. Speaking at the Battery Asset Management Summit Australia 2026, Saba acknowledged the CIS helped expedite investment in longer-duration projects where commercial offtake was previously difficult to secure. However, he emphasized that Eku Energy continues to rely on private offtake agreements to underpin its commercialization strategy, ensuring projects reach financial close independently of government contracts. Saba criticized industry peers for overly aggressive tender bidding, arguing that such practices risk project viability. In contrast, Eku Energy maintains strict bidding discipline, prioritizing deliverable commitments over winning every tender round. This approach ensures grid connection works and planning remain robust. Saba concluded that the CIS has not harmed the broader market, noting that the fundamentals of project execution remain unchanged regardless of scheme participation. The company accepts missing certain tender rounds as a necessary trade-off for maintaining realistic, financially sound project pipelines.

💡 Eku Energy’s disciplined approach challenges the prevailing industry trend of aggressive, subsidy-dependent bidding, suggesting that sustainable battery storage development requires robust private commercialization rather than reliance on government mechanisms. This stance highlights a critical divergence in risk management strategies among developers, potentially influencing future market stability and project delivery rates in Australia’s energy sector.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 14

Another Reason To Love EVs: Costco Is Rationing Motor Oil

Costco Wholesale has implemented strict rationing and significantly increased prices for its Kirkland Signature full-synthetic motor oil, citing supply chain disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran initiated by US President Donald Trump. The wholesale retailer raised the price of a 10-quart pack to $58.00, up from the mid-$30s, while limiting purchases to one transaction per customer per week. This move highlights a broader shortage of base oil, a key component in synthetic lubricants that the US largely imports. Analysts note that base oil prices have more than tripled since the war began, as refiners prioritize gasoline and diesel production over lubricant stock. While plug-in hybrids still require oil changes, fully electric vehicles are immune to these rising maintenance costs. The situation underscores the escalating total cost of ownership for internal combustion engine vehicles, driven by both geopolitical instability and the increasing technical demands of modern engines. Costco’s reputation for low prices makes this rationing a significant indicator of the severity of the current market shortage affecting consumers nationwide.

💡 The rationing at a budget-conscious retailer like Costco serves as a stark, tangible indicator of supply chain fragility for internal combustion engine owners. It directly contrasts the rising maintenance burdens of gas vehicles with the operational stability of electric vehicles during geopolitical crises.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 13

Trump’s Geothermal Energy Time Bomb Is About To Explode

The Trump administration has established a new Geothermal Center of Excellence at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, partnering with the National Energy Technology Laboratory to accelerate gigawatt-scale geothermal development. This initiative aligns with President Trump’s “American Energy Dominance” policy, which includes significant funding and support for geothermal energy despite its current 1% share of US power capacity. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, formerly CEO of Liberty Energy, champions this expansion, leveraging oilfield services expertise to overcome historical geographic limitations. The Center unites expertise from multiple national laboratories, including Argonne and Sandia, to drive resource discovery and commercial development. An invitation-only Advisory Board will guide industry-relevant research needs. This strategic move reflects a broader shift within the Department of Energy’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, aiming to transfer fossil fuel technologies to renewable sectors. By supporting projects like FORGE in Utah, the administration seeks to expand geothermal viability beyond the western US, potentially challenging coal and natural gas dominance through advanced drilling techniques and public-private partnerships.

💡 This initiative repurposes fossil fuel infrastructure and expertise to unlock vast, previously inaccessible geothermal resources, fundamentally altering the domestic energy landscape. It signals a strategic pivot where traditional oil and gas technologies become the primary drivers for scaling renewable baseload power.

indiandefensenews.in · Sep 13

Raana Semiconductors To Roll Out 12-Inch CZ Machines For Solar Industry, Targets…

Raana Semiconductors, a Chennai‑based deep‑tech start‑up, plans to launch its first commercial 12‑inch Czochralski (CZ) single‑crystal machine within 10–12 months, targeting solar module makers. The CZ process, essential for producing wafers used in solar cells and semiconductors, will enable Indian manufacturers to produce up to 10 GW of cell output in the next three years. The company is negotiating a 2 GW order that could lift revenue to ₹300 crore by FY28. A new 40,000‑sq‑ft Hosur plant will support production, with current machines already deployed in research labs.

💡 By localizing CZ technology, Raana strengthens India’s solar supply chain and reduces dependence on imports, positioning the country to meet the MNRE’s 2028 local sourcing mandate.

cyprus-mail.com · Sep 13

Tech explores Argentina’s Patagonia for mega data centers

Investors are eyeing Argentina’s Patagonia for mega‑scale data centers, attracted by its cool climate, abundant renewable power and proximity to the Vaca Muerta shale gas field. Pampa Energia plans a facility near its Loma de la Lata thermal plant in Neuquén, potentially drawing up to 500 MW from the gas formation. The project emerges while the country, under President Javier Milei, offers tax incentives and regulatory certainty that have revived foreign oil and mining interest. Unlike the United States, Argentina has yet to experience public opposition to large server farms, allowing developers to advance with limited scrutiny. Major players such as OpenAI, partnering with Sur Energy, have announced multi‑billion‑dollar, clean‑energy‑powered centers, while regional rivals expand elsewhere in South America. The initiative could boost local employment and modernize Patagonia’s infrastructure.

💡 Patagonia’s untapped land and power capacity could make it a cornerstone for the next wave of AI‑driven computing, reshaping the region’s economic landscape.