According to the latest data from the Clean Energy Council (CEC) of Australia, the fourth quarter of 2025 saw a record-breaking 2.1 GW of new large-scale renewable energy capacity connected to the grid, alongside 1 GW of utility-scale battery energy storage systems coming online – both setting new historical highs. For the full year of 2025, Australia completed grid connections for 3.3 GW of large-scale renewable energy generation and 1.9 GW / 4.9 GWh of battery storage.
The performance in Q4 2025 surpassed all other quarters in history. During this quarter, a total of nine wind farm and solar PV projects were connected to the grid, with a combined capacity of 2.1 GW, accounting for 63% of the total operational capacity added during the year. The capital expenditure (CapEx) for these facilities exceeded A$3.3 billion. Utility-scale energy storage installations also hit a new high in the quarter, with 1 GW / 2.3 GWh added, significantly higher than the 541 MW / 1,766 MWh installed in the previous quarter.
CEC Chief Executive Officer Jackie Trad stated, “The final quarter of last year witnessed multiple renewable energy records being broken. The year-end rush to complete projects, combined with a more stable political environment in the second half of 2025, meant the year finished much stronger than it started.”
Data shows that in Q4 2025, the share of renewable energy in the National Electricity Market (NEM) reached 51% for the first time and met up to 77% of demand during peak periods. Regarding investment, five renewable energy generation projects totaling 1.2 GW reached financial close during the quarter, with a total value of A$350 million, including the 300 MW Blind Creek Solar Farm in New South Wales. Investment levels rebounded compared to the sluggishness of the previous three quarters. Additionally, five battery storage projects (1.1 GW / 2.8 GWh) reached financial close.
Despite the positive outlook, Ms. Trad emphasized the need to streamline planning and approval processes and ensure timely connection of new projects to transmission infrastructure. For instance, current delivery lead times in Queensland are up to 23 months for solar projects, 37 months for wind projects, and 28 months for utility-scale battery projects.
Looking ahead, Australia’s pipeline of renewable energy projects remains strong, with 81 generation projects (approximately 13 GW) and 75 storage projects (13 GW / 34.7 GWh) currently in the committed or under construction stages.
