Batteries Surge, Transmission Lags, Hiring Scramble

Monthly Insights for Executives in Australia’s Clean Energy Sector

August 2025 Edition

Opening Snapshot

Australia’s energy transition is moving fast but unevenly. Household batteries are taking off thanks to rebates, ARENA has fired the starting gun on a $500m battery manufacturing program, and transmission operators are waving red flags about “deep transition” risks as grid build lags. Meanwhile, big corporate moves – from AGL’s 2GWh Tomago battery to Clean Energy Council’s new CEO – underline how leadership shifts and capital commitments are reshaping the sector. The tension is stark: wind investment pauses at financial close as buyers step back, even as batteries sprint and governments bankroll transmission. For talent, that means accelerated demand in project delivery, construction trades, grid, asset operations and management, manufacturing, policy and community facing roles. For energy transition leaders, it means the difference between strategy on paper and electrons in wires.

Trendlines

• Batteries everywhere, at every scale. From rooftop systems with four‑year paybacks to grid‑forming 2 GWh behemoths, storage is the transition’s growth frontier.
• Transmission is the choke point. AEMO, Transgrid, and VicGrid are warning of curtailment and “deep transition” pressures as projects pile up faster than new lines.
• Policy fuel, execution lag. ARENA and CEFC are pumping unprecedented funding, but delivery bottlenecks – Snowy 2.0, Western Renewables Link – risk undermining confidence.
• Leadership churn as a signal. Jackie Trad’s arrival at Clean Energy Council and executive commentary from Zibelman and Learmonth show policy influence is migrating to new voices.
• Manufacturing paradox. Energy Renaissance collapses just as government launches a manufacturing stimulus – exposing both opportunity and fragility.

Noteworthy Announcements & Projects

1. Clean Energy Council names Jackie Trad CEO

Former Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad takes over after Kane Thornton’s exit. Chair Ross Rolfe says the Council is at a “critical juncture.”
Why it matters: CEC’s advocacy voice is pivotal; new leadership means new policy priorities. Expect hiring in planning and approvals.

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2. AGL approves 500MW/2,000MWh Tomago battery

Fluence appointed technology partner; build starts late 2025, COD late 2027.
Why it matters: Flagship grid‑forming project in NSW, ~$800m investment. Will drive demand in construction, commissioning, performance analytics, and grid integration.
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3. ARENA launches $500m Battery Breakthrough Initiative (BBI)

Grants for active materials, cell components, and pack assembly, open until exhausted.
Why it matters: Kick‑starts a domestic supply chain, spurring hiring in process engineering, manufacturing, QA/QC, automation, and supply chain.

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4. Energy Renaissance collapses into administration

Jirsch Sutherland appointed administrator; federal grants already invested.
Why it matters: A cautionary tale on fragile business models. Also releases a skilled talent pool in Tomago at the exact moment BBI is live.

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5. Transgrid’s TAPR 2025 flags “deep transition”

CEO Brett Redman highlights >10GW in new connection requests; priority projects include EnergyConnect, HumeLink, VNI West, Hunter Transmission.
Why it matters: Transmission bottlenecks will shape investment returns. Hiring crunch continues for grid connection managers, but will also increase demand in construction, project management, community, land & approvals specialists.
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6. Victoria’s 2025 Transmission Plan (VicGrid)

Identifies six REZs, ~$7.9b infra build, doubling earlier estimates.
Why it matters: Land, community, and substation engineering talent in Victoria will be stretched thin.

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7. ACE Power sells 103 MW/206 MWh Kerang BESS to Banpu Energy Australia

Ready‑to‑build project to close later this year.
Why it matters: Illustrates active secondary market in storage. Creates demand for owners’ and project engineers as well as construction leadership in Victoria.
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Hiring Implications

• Storage roles surge. Commissioning leads, asset performance analysts, grid ops specialists, and field install managers are scarce. Expect salaries to edge up in NSW and VIC.
• Manufacturing capability in motion. The collapse of Energy Renaissance means engineers, pack assemblers, and QA staff are suddenly available. Expect fast absorption by ARENA‑funded bids.
• Policy & advocacy bench expanding. With Trad at CEC and federal programs scaling, demand rises for policy directors, government relations heads, and program managers.
• Transmission execution crunch. Portfolio PMOs, grid connection managers, land & approvals leads, and stakeholder engagement heads are the pinch points across NSW and VIC.
• Bid teams in NSW. Round 6 of the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap has opened. Developers need bid managers, grid modellers, and commercial estimators ready now.

Policy Pulse

1. ARENA’s BBI – $500m stimulus for local battery manufacturing supply chain.
2. AEMC analysis – Household battery paybacks now ~4 years; implications for market design.
3. CEFC investment surge – Record $3.5b invested, doubling prior year; $2.1b into transmission links.

Tech Watch

• Grid‑forming batteries – AGL Tomago and Kerang BESS both flagged as grid‑forming, critical for system strength.
• Cathode materials R&D – ARENA’s $30m grant to VSPC (Livium) for LMFP/LFP powders shows upstream supply chain ambitions are real.

Data Points

• 65% – Potential curtailment in parts of SA/VIC by 2035 without new transmission (AEMO).
• 40% → 90% – NSW renewable share trajectory by 2035 (Transgrid TAPR).
• $800m – Capex for AGL’s Tomago battery project.

 Watchlist for Next Month

1. NSW Round 6 tender outcomes – Will shape developer hiring pipelines.
2. Plico Energy sale process (WA VPP) – Non‑binding bids due; outcome will indicate appetite for VPP investment.
3. Transmission project approvals – Watch Western Renewables Link and HumeLink for schedule clarity.

Prepared by Freshwater Group. Helping companies secure leadership and critical talent for the energy transition.

Freshwater Group

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