Pipeline is real, Prices are down, Bottlenecks are real 

Energy Transition Monthly Insights for Executives in Australia’s Clean Energy Sector

All‑Energy Australia Special October 2025

Opening Snapshot

All‑Energy Australia 2025 confirmed two things: for the energy transition, the pipeline is real and so are the bottlenecks. A record‑scale expo floor and packed storage/EV/grid stands underscored a market sprinting toward electrification, while policy and grid constraints remain the speed governor. Energy transition announcements skewed toward batteries (home and grid), V2G/V2X, and high‑efficiency PV, with one headline commercial deal: AIKO’s 1 GW module supply into Australia, inked at the show. Meanwhile the Clean Energy Council flagged a national decommissioning/financial security approach for large projects; just a small line in a press room, but big implications for landholders and developers. Zooming out, we hit a symbolic energy transition milestone this month: renewables overtook coal in September generation, even as transmission cost blowouts and schedule risk keep gnawing at 2030 targets. Summary: procurement and hiring remain hot in storage, DER orchestration, grid connections, community engagement, and commercial ops that can close in this market.

Conference Trendlines

• Scale & focus: Organisers and CEC promoted 15k+ attendees, 450+ suppliers, ~500 speakers across ~80 sessions, and the agenda weight was clearly on batteries, EV infrastructure, and grid integration. That mirrors where work (and budgets) really are.
• Real commercial signal: AIKO’s 1 GW supply deal, signed at the event, adds immediate module availability and price tension for 2026 utility and rooftops. It’s not just a booth splash; it shapes procurement calendars. (PV Magazine Australia)
• End‑of‑life is arriving: CEC + QRIC floated a national decommissioning/financial security approach. Expect earlier, firmer closure plans in bids, clearer farmer protections, and fewer permitting jitters if states harmonise. (PV Magazine Australia)
• DERs with teeth: VPPs and V2G/V2X turned from demo to product lines (bidirectional chargers, microgrid controls). This moves the “car as battery” meme toward fleet pilots and tariff trials by DNSPs. (FNArena.com)
• Home batteries mainstreaming: Vendors pushed modular ESS and VPP‑readiness to ride federal incentives; that aligns with policy drift toward VPP‑capable subsidies. (FNArena.com)

Announcements, project & capital signals

• Modules: 1 GW AIKO supply agreement for Australian distributors; near‑term procurement pressure eases for C&I/utility buyers hunting high‑efficiency back‑contact panels. (PV Magazine Australia)
• Tech + pilots: Ampt DC‑coupled solar‑plus‑storage chosen to power a green hydrogen + ammonia facility linked to low‑carbon cotton. Good read‑through for DC‑bus architectures in ag/industrial off‑takers. (pv magazine International)
• System‑wide finance backdrop: CEFC posted a record A$3.5 b in 24/25 (grid + renewables), underwriting the next wave of storage + transmission. Tender outcomes over summer will determine where that gunpowder lands. (Reuters)
• CEC/QRIC decommissioning framework: clarifies end‑of‑life risk, smoother approvals, better farmer optics. (PV Magazine Australia)
• V2G hardware lines: enables fleet pilots with real grid services; watch DNSP tariff trials. (FNArena.com)
• Residential ESS launches: more VPP‑ready options to plug into policy‑backed home battery schemes. (FNArena.com)

Why it matters: Cheaper modules + smarter DC architectures shorten paybacks; green bank firepower + CIS tenders keep the pipeline liquid, but grid connection queues and land access still dominate critical path.

Data points

• 15,000–15,500+ expected attendees at All‑Energy 2025; 450+ suppliers, ~500 speakers, ~80 sessions. (gov.au)

• Average wholesale electricity price (NEM) was $87/MWh (Sept quarter), 27% below the same quarter last year and 38% below the June quarter (Quarterly Energy Dynamics, AEMO). (Reneweconomy)

• >A$3.5 b CEFC investment in FY24/25; grid and storage dominant. (Reuters)
• 9.24 TWh renewables vs 8.8 TWh coal (Sept generation) — first time renewables beat coal across a month. (The Guardian)

Watchlist for November

• CIS tender outcomes shaping 2026–28 build cadence. (The Guardian)
• AEMO Q3‑2025 QED briefing (12 Nov): price/curtailment insights for summer. (Melbourne Energy Institute)
• Decommissioning framework consultation touchpoints via CEC/state channels. (PV Magazine Australia)

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

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