Key Themes For 2027
The 2027 programme focuses on the critical decisions facing Australia's storage market: reaching financial close, navigating connection challenges, securing revenue certainty, optimising asset performance and capturing emerging opportunities across long-duration storage, hybrid projects and flexible demand.
Data Centres, AI and Demand Growth
Explore how AI-driven data centres are creating unprecedented electricity demand and new storage requirements. Examine the commercial models, connection strategies and long-duration solutions needed to support this emerging load while maintaining grid stability and revenue certainty for storage assets.
Offtake, Tolling and Commercial Structuring
Navigate the financing structures enabling projects to reach financial close. Assess CIS-backed arrangements, tolling agreements, contracted offtake and hybrid commercial models that provide revenue certainty while managing merchant exposure. Understand the risk allocation frameworks that attract debt and equity capital.
Merchant Risk and Revenue Resilience
Manage exposure to volatile energy and FCAS markets while building durable revenue streams. Examine bidding strategies, dispatch optimisation, portfolio hedging and the commercial frameworks that enable batteries to compete effectively across multiple revenue sources as market dynamics evolve.
Consolidation, M&A and Portfolio Value
Understand how market maturation is driving consolidation, portfolio transactions and asset valuations. Explore M&A activity, refinancing opportunities, portfolio optimisation strategies and the commercial metrics that determine asset value as Australia's storage fleet scales and ownership structures evolve.
Community and Distribution Connected Storage
Examine opportunities beyond transmission-connected grid-scale projects. Address community batteries, behind-the-meter systems, virtual power plants and distribution-level storage that deliver local network benefits, customer value and new revenue models while supporting broader system needs.
Speed to Power and Grid Connection
Navigate the technical and regulatory requirements for connecting storage to the NEM. Address connection timelines, system strength obligations, grid-forming capability and the network constraints that determine whether projects can energise successfully and deliver system services on schedule.
Policy Certainty and Government's Evolving Role
Translate policy settings into bankable project structures. Examine the Capacity Investment Scheme, state-level support mechanisms, market reform initiatives and regulatory frameworks shaping investment decisions. Understand how government priorities are evolving and what this means for project viability.
Climate Volatility and Operational Resilience
Build projects that perform reliably under extreme weather conditions and changing climate patterns. Address thermal management, flood resilience, bushfire risk, supply chain disruptions and the operational strategies that ensure batteries deliver design specifications across Australia's increasingly volatile climate conditions.
