APA to build 104MWh battery storage system for Evolution Mining's Ernest Henry operations in Australia. August 20, 2026 APA Group has taken a final investment decision to construct, own and operate the 72MW Sybella Creek Solar Farm and a 52MW/104MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Mount Isa, Queensland, backed by an AU$259 million (US$168 million) investment. APA is an ASX-listed energy infrastructure company that owns and operates gas pipelines, power generation and other energy assets across Australia. The project is underpinned by an energy supply agreement with Ernest Henry Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of Evolution Mining, running until mid-2046. Under the agreement, APA's existing Diamantina Power Station, a gas-fired facility, will provide firming capacity alongside the new solar and battery storage assets, supporting greater efficiencies at Diamantina while diversifying APA's customer base in Mount Isa. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with completion targeted for mid-2028. The final investment decision was announced alongside APA's FY26 results, in which the company reported underlying EBITDA up 8.3% to AU$2,183 million, exceeding the midpoint of its own guidance, and free cash flow up 3.2% to AU$1,118 million. APA delivered AU$80 million in cost-out initiatives against a AU$50 million target, and increased distributions for the 22nd consecutive year, with securityholders to receive 58.0 cents per security for FY26. Chief executive Adam Watson said Sybella Creek is expected to be value- and free cash flow-accretive, forming part of APA's remote grid growth strategy within a broader organic growth pipeline that grew to approximately AU$3.5 billion over the year, up from AU$3.0 billion. Watson said the pipeline would continue to be funded from APA's existing balance sheet, alongside AU$546 million already invested in growth projects during FY26, including the Brigalow Peaking Power Plant, an expansion of the East Coast Gas Grid, and the Sturt Plateau Pipeline, APA's first project in the Beetaloo Basin. A region working around a stalled transmission link. Sybella Creek adds to a run of energy investment in the North West Minerals Province, a mineral-rich region historically reliant on islanded diesel and gas generation due to the absence of a National Electricity Market (NEM) connection. That connection was meant to arrive via CopperString, a 1,100km transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa, but cost estimates rose from AU$1.8 billion to more than AU$13.6 billion under the previous state government, prompting the current Crisafulli government to scale back the project and split it into an Eastern Link, targeted for 2032, and a Western Link that remains under assessment with no confirmed construction commitment. In response, Queensland established the AU$200 million North West Energy Fund, managed by Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), to support localised energy solutions while the Western Link's future remains unresolved. QIC Infrastructure partner Arash Shojaie told ESN Premium that proposals need to stand on their own commercially, independent of the Western Link proceeding, with battery storage and other firming technologies expected to play a central role. Sybella Creek is not funded through the North West Energy Fund, but sits within the same broader push to bring lower-cost, more reliable power to the region's mining sector ahead of any NEM connection, pairing new renewable energy generation and storage with existing gas infrastructure to serve a single large industrial customer under a long-term supply agreement. It also adds to a wider pattern of battery storage scaling across Queensland's grid-connected network, where Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners' Supernode BESS near Brisbane became the largest operational battery storage system in the NEM in July 2026, reaching a combined 520MW/1,858MWh across its first two stages. Solar Media (part of Informa Group) will host the Battery Asset Management Summit Australia 2026 on 25-26 August at the Amora Hotel Jamison in Sydney, bringing together asset owners, operators, trading teams and optimisers to address revenue strategy, lifecycle management and operational performance across Australia's fast-growing battery storage fleet. Readers of Energy-Storage.news can get 20% off their tickets using the code ESN20 at checkout. Find out more about the Summit on the official website. 15 September 2026 San Diego, USA You can expect to meet and network with all the key industry players again in 2025 from major US asset owners, operators, RTOs and ISOs, optimizers, software and analytics providers, technical consultancies, O&M technology providers and more. 15 September 2026 Berlin, Germany Launching September 2026 in Berlin, Energy Storage Summit Germany is a new standalone event dedicated to Germany's energy storage market. Bringing together investors, developers, policymakers, TSOs, manufacturers and optimisation specialists, the Summit explores the regulatory shifts, revenue models, financing strategies and technology innovations shaping large-scale deployment. With Germany targeting 80% renewables by 2030, it offers a focused platform to connect with the decision-makers driving the Energiewende and the future of utility-scale storage. 6 October 2026 Warsaw, Poland The Energy Storage Summit Central Eastern Europe is set to return in September 2025 for its third edition, focusing on regional markets and the unique opportunities they present. This event will bring together key stakeholders from across the region to explore the latest trends in energy storage, with a focus on the increasing integration of energy storage into regional grids, evolving government policies, and the growing need for energy security.

APA to build Sybella Creek solar farm and battery in Mount Isa. Reading Time: 2 mins read APA Group has made a final investment decision to construct, own and operate the 72MW Sybella Creek Solar Farm and a 52MW/104MWh Battery Energy Storage System in Mount Isa, Queensland. APA will invest about $259 million in the project, which is underpinned by an Energy Supply Agreement (ESA) with Ernest Henry Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of Evolution Mining, through to mid-2046. The ESA will support the long-term operation of APA's Diamantina Power Facility, with the gas-fired facility providing firming capacity and energy supply alongside the new renewable energy assets. APA said the combination of solar generation, battery storage and gas-fired generation would provide a lower-emissions energy solution for Ernest Henry's operations, while improving reliability and supporting lower energy costs. The BESS is also expected to improve network reliability and resilience for Ernest Henry Operations, as well as mining customers and the broader community across the North West Power System. APA CEO and Managing Director Adam Watson said the project would support the ongoing operation of the Diamantina Power Facility while diversifying APA's customer base. "New renewables projects developed locally and firmed by existing gas-powered generation assets are the most efficient way to deliver the energy needed to underpin growth and energy security in this critical Queensland growth region," Watson said. The project forms part of APA's remote power generation growth strategy and is expected to support energy security in the Mount Isa region. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with completion targeted for mid-2028.

Top ASX dividend growth Stocks to Buy: APA Group and Amcor. Jun 18, 2026 - 06:06 AM APA Group delivered another strong half-year financial performance and Amcor Plc improving sales, EBITDA, and EPS highlights strengthening operating performance and earnings quality reflecting value creation for securityholders, which further supports their capacity to sustain dividend payments. APA Group (ASX:APA). is one of the best ASX dividend growth stocks with a 21 years of consecutive distribution growth, market capitalization of $13.79B and a partially franked dividend yield of 5.51%. On 19 February 2026, the company announced its interim distribution details for the six months ended 31 December 2025. The total distribution is 27.5 cents per security. The APA Infrastructure Trust's distribution consists of a franked dividend of 6.3035 cents per security. The associated franking credit allocated is 2.7015 cents per security. On 23 April 2026, APA announced that they successfully raised $1.5 billion in debt funding, which comprises of $1.0 billion in hybrid subordinated capital securities and $500 million in senior 10-year notes, to encourage the ongoing execution of its growth strategy. The company announced the completion of the divestment of its 20% equity interest in GDI (EII) Pty Ltd (GDI) on 25 march 2026. On 19 February 2026, APA Group announced progress on Stage 3 of its East Coast Gas Grid (ECGG) Expansion Plan, which is projected to lift transport capacity by 30% approximately and will also help address projected gas supply shortfalls in the southern market from 2028 onward. An investment of $260 million to expand north-to-south capacity and deliver essential Australian gas to southern markets for winter 2028. The company also approved $220 million investment for Stage 3B of the East Coast Gas Grid (ECGG 3B) to facilitate ongoing early-stage works and the procurement of long-lead equipment for the Bulloo Interlink, including the purchase of 342 km of pipeline and additional pre-FID activities to provide further transport capacity beyond winter 2028. Amcor Plc (ASX:AMC). is one of the best ASX dividend growth stocks with a market capitalization of $27.06B and annual unfranked dividend yield of 6.5%. Amcor Plc announced a new dividend distribution which was published on 7 May 2026. The company declared a distribution of USD 0.65 per CDI (1:1 foreign exempt NYSE). On 7 May 2026, the company announced its financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2026, adjusted EBIT increased by 72% to $687 million, including approximately $239 million of acquired EBIT net of divestments, the remaining 10% supported by Berry acquisition synergy benefits and productivity initiatives, partly offset by lower volumes. Amcor Plc declared a quarterly cash dividend of 65.0 cents per share. On a pre-adjusted basis, this was equivalent to 12.75 cents per share after accounting for the 1-for-5 reverse stock split completed on January 14 2026. Holders of CDIs traded on the ASX received an unfranked dividend of 91.0 Australian cents per share The Company estimates that volumes were around 1.5% lower compared to the combined volumes of the legacy Amcor and legacy Berry businesses in the March quarter last year, excluding non-core and divested operations. It also estimates that price/mix had no material impact on net sales. Free cash outflow was $39 million, in line with expectations, after funding approximately $78 million of transaction, restructuring, and integration costs. Amcor Plc's guidance expects adjusted EPS to be $3.98 to $4.03 approximately for the fiscal year ending 30 June 2026, representing growth of around 12% at the midpoint. The outlook also factors in mitigation of the adjusted EPS impact arising from the Middle East conflict, along with pre-tax synergy benefits of $270 million from the Berry acquisition. (Source: Company Announcements) Get your free report on Top 5 ASX Stocks on whatsapp. Instant Access. No Credit Card Required. 7-day free trial ASX stock Research & Recommendations - 7-day free trial. Independent, analyst-driven insights. * Stock of the week report * Daily Analysis Report * No credit card required Get your FREE report. Discover the Top ASX Stocks to Invest In 2026! Expert Analysis of Top-Performing ASX Stocks Market Insights and In-Depth Research Buy, Sell, And Hold Recommendations