Announced last week during the Australian Energy Wind Conference in Melbourne,  FERA Australia, a Melbourne-based subsidiary of Italy’s FERA Group, brings local development expertise (permitting, design, project management) – while Envision Energy, based in China, contributes its knowledge in integrated tech platforms of full-converter wind turbines, next-gen containerised battery systems, and grid-forming power conversion systems (PCS) including proprietary Hybrid Power Plant Controller (HPPC).

ENVISION ENERGY + FERA TEAMS at the 2025 Australia Wind Energy expo & Conferrecne Melbourne

The first pilot hybrid plant ‘The Wombelano Project’ located in western Victoria will be 35 MW wind and battery hybrid combining wind turbines with battery storage at a shared grid connection point, using grid-forming inverters—making it one of Australia’s first true wind-battery hybrids – this project will serve as a showcase for how hybrid systems can enhance grid reliability and unlock new value streams. The Wombelano Project is expected to generate 80,000 MWh of renewable clean energy annually, enough to power 17,200 homes and offset 80,000 tonnes of CO₂. The infrastructure of 7 turbines, battery storage, a substation, and a temporary concrete batching plant is slated to begin Q4 2025, with commercial operation expected in 2026.

Featuring Envision’s proprietary full converter wind turbine, grid-forming battery storage, and advanced HPPC technology in a grid-connected hybrid plant demonstrates Envision’s strong commitment to the Australian market as well as setting new benchmarks in renewable energy innovation.

But how does China + Italian foreign investment into Australia’s critical infrastructure stack-up to be AEMO compliant and cyber-secure for Australia’s national electricity grid?

While this frontier-project partnership is both exciting and aspirational,  Envision’s expert technological capabilities will be monitored closely  within the revised 2022 Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SOCI) and Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).

Anything that combines AI, control software, and energy grid interface from a “country of concern” is a red flag.

Envision’s PCS, HPPC and integrated platform in their pilot project would be under heavy scrutiny from AEMO and NEM (Australia’s National Electricity Market)  energy regulators. The check list is meticulously structured, particularly for foreign hardware/software requiring NEM clearance to prove transparency, local control, and cyber resilience at every step in order for the energy asset to be technically safe, market-ready, and cyber-secure for Australia’s national electricity grid.

Comparable Australian Precedents

• Huawei’s exclusion from 5G was based on remote software update potential — not actual spying.
• Ingeteam (Spain) and Sungrow (China) solar inverters have faced scrutiny over cloud access and control firmware.
• China’s State Grid was blocked from Ausgrid ownership in NSW in 2016 under similar national interest concerns — despite a local JV setup.

Recent concerns have hit the Australia and UK media of China BYD electric vehicles GPS trackers sparking concern of  surveillance or data collection. BYD’s Australian distributor, EVDirect, is working with Telstra to resolve the issue, assuring that customer data remains secure.

Also, the  UK/ China MingYang Smart Energy Wind Turbine manufacturing plant in Scotland which is currently under review by UK ministers as a potential surveillance risk  under the National Security and Investment Act. This high-profile debate and safeguards will set a precedent – possibly for Australia too.

MingYang Smart Energy is gradually expanding its footprint in Portugal and Spain, though not yet at the scale seen in Germany or the UK with dominant players like Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, or GE Vernova. Germany accepted one MingYang project to supply 16 of its 18.5 MW turbines for the Waterkant offshore wind farm, marking its first major German project. These turbines are among the most powerful in the world, with a rotor diameter of 260 meters, and are set for installation in 2028.

Envision Energy has had a presence in Australia for around six years, possibly longer.

Kane Xu, SVP and President of International Product Line of Envision Energy reassures with her knowledge and experience of the Australia’s requirements and regulatory hoops.  “The Australian market is famous for being quite strict in many different ways. You need to have a very good understanding about the local grid, local permissions, certification processes, EPC logistics, you name it. We also see the entire supply chain challenge, for example, the infrastructure at the port, the infrastructure for local transportation, [things we as a turbine supplier] have to handle. We see it as a challenge. And then the availability for the local EPC. All of these add more complexity into the picture.” Renew Economy. 

Sebastiano Falesi, Head of FERA Australia and Member of the Board of Directors of the FERA Group says. “Partnering with Envision Energy marks an exciting milestone in our pursuit of large-scale renewable projects in Australia. Integrating wind power and energy storage in a hybrid project, will constitute an excellent model for future initiatives. The rapid advancement of renewable energy projects is crucial for supporting Australia’s transition to zero-carbon energy. Envision’s cutting-edge technology and deep global expertise assure us that we have a reliable partner capable of helping us achieve new standards in performance and reliability.”

Australia currently has 6 Offshore Wind Zones with not one Turbine installed over a 7-year consultancy phase – and 80 Onshore Wind farms and rapidly expanding to over 100 new onshore wind projects proposed or under construction, potentially adding 88 GW by 2030.

Victoria is projected to source around 40% of its electricity from renewables by 2025, with ambitions to reach 65% by 2030—marking a 15-percentage-point leap over just five years. Wind Turbines can achieve this with collaborative State and Federal Government will, clear policies, trusted long-term reliable investment vehicles, and perhaps time to open the gates to China more with Australia origin Joint Venture partnerships, and transparent enforceable penalties and closures should projects contravene with Sovereignty risk. Innocent, until proven on-the-road, to guilty?

Learn more about ENVISION AUSTRALIA >>> please visit www.envision-group.com

More About FERA Australia >>> please visit https://feraaustralia.com.au/ and https://ferasrl.com/en/