The surge in big battery projects is displacing coal and gas in evening peaks, but they are finding the market dinner is not as juicy as hoped.

The first stage of the biggest approved battery project in Australia is now fully operational with Origin Energy announcing the initial stage of the 700 MW / 3,160 MWh battery energy storage system being built next to its Eraring coal-fired generator in New South Wales has commenced commercial operations.

More than 1.2 GWh of new behind-the-meter energy storage capacity was installed across Australia in December 2025 as households and businesses sought to take advantage of the federal government’s revised AUD 7.2 billion ($4.9 billion) Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

Repurposed electric vehicle batteries are being used in the energy storage component of a solar and battery system supplying operations at Nissan Australia’s aluminum casting plant in Victoria.

A wave of alternative battery technologies is emerging to address the drawbacks of lithium-ion, but their financial viability is still uncertain despite the massive growth of the energy storage market.

The Ontario government has launched the Skyview 2 Battery Energy Storage System in Edwardsburgh Cardinal, marking a significant investment in Canada's energy infrastructure and representing a key component of the province's strategy to bolster grid reliability and accommodate rising electricity demand driven by population growth and electrification. The facility, which is designed to power approximately 400,000 homes, will generate up to 300 construction jobs and additional operational roles upon completion in 2027, while also contributing to Canada's shift towards a net-zero electricity system by 2050.