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Released April 19, 2024 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The largest planned battery energy storage project in Australia has been given the green light by the country's market operator.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has awarded the US$451 million Waratah Super Battery project, a gigawatt (GW)-class battery energy storage system (BESS) in New South Wales, Generator Performance Standard (GPS) approval. The GPS sets the performance standards that generators and storage projects must meet to ensure stability and reliability of the electrical grid. The Waratah Super Battery will be capable of supplying up to 850 megawatts (MW) of electricity and storing 1,680 megawatt-hours (MWh).
Located on the site of a shuttered coal-fired power station at Lake Munmorah, the battery is described by the New South Wales government as a "shock absorber" for the grid in the event of any sudden power surges, including from bush fires or lightning strikes. The government, through its state-owned EnergyCo (Sydney, Australia) has contracted developer Akaysha Energy (Cremorne, Australia) to supply 700 MW and 1,400 MWh of the total capacity. Akaysha is expected to sell the remaining stored energy on the market. The plant will operate as part of a System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS) to increase the transmission capacity of the existing network, allowing more power to flow from existing generators.
"The approval of the Generator Performance Standard is a significant milestone because the project has passed the simulations needed to know that it can successfully connect to the grid later this year," commented Andrew Kingsmill, executive director network planning & technical advisory at EnergyCo.
Nick Carter, chief executive officer of Akaysha Energy, added: "Connecting energy projects to the Australian grid poses unique challenges due to stringent interconnection standards resulting from a combination of an inherently weak electrical grid, strict performance requirements and high renewable energy penetration. The significance is that we now have a clear pathway to get the battery connected."
The project will be built on a 138,000-square-meter site, roughly eight football fields. U.S. company Powin's (Portland, Oregon) will supply 2,592 of its Centipede Energy Segments and 288 power conversion systems. Industrial Info is tracking 317 battery storage projects in Australia worth almost US$40 billion. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports.
Industrial Info reported recently on the commencement of another major Australian BESS project in the state of Queensland. Located in Ipswich, south of Brisbane, the US$216 million Swanbank Battery project will have a capacity of 250 MW/500 MWh, capable of storing enough energy to power more than two-thirds of Ipswich for two hours each night when demand rises. Most of the power will come from solar power generated from local rooftops. For additional information, see February 28, 2024, article - Major Tesla Battery Storage Project Kicks Off in Queensland.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has awarded the US$451 million Waratah Super Battery project, a gigawatt (GW)-class battery energy storage system (BESS) in New South Wales, Generator Performance Standard (GPS) approval. The GPS sets the performance standards that generators and storage projects must meet to ensure stability and reliability of the electrical grid. The Waratah Super Battery will be capable of supplying up to 850 megawatts (MW) of electricity and storing 1,680 megawatt-hours (MWh).
Located on the site of a shuttered coal-fired power station at Lake Munmorah, the battery is described by the New South Wales government as a "shock absorber" for the grid in the event of any sudden power surges, including from bush fires or lightning strikes. The government, through its state-owned EnergyCo (Sydney, Australia) has contracted developer Akaysha Energy (Cremorne, Australia) to supply 700 MW and 1,400 MWh of the total capacity. Akaysha is expected to sell the remaining stored energy on the market. The plant will operate as part of a System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS) to increase the transmission capacity of the existing network, allowing more power to flow from existing generators.
"The approval of the Generator Performance Standard is a significant milestone because the project has passed the simulations needed to know that it can successfully connect to the grid later this year," commented Andrew Kingsmill, executive director network planning & technical advisory at EnergyCo.
Nick Carter, chief executive officer of Akaysha Energy, added: "Connecting energy projects to the Australian grid poses unique challenges due to stringent interconnection standards resulting from a combination of an inherently weak electrical grid, strict performance requirements and high renewable energy penetration. The significance is that we now have a clear pathway to get the battery connected."
The project will be built on a 138,000-square-meter site, roughly eight football fields. U.S. company Powin's (Portland, Oregon) will supply 2,592 of its Centipede Energy Segments and 288 power conversion systems. Industrial Info is tracking 317 battery storage projects in Australia worth almost US$40 billion. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports.
Industrial Info reported recently on the commencement of another major Australian BESS project in the state of Queensland. Located in Ipswich, south of Brisbane, the US$216 million Swanbank Battery project will have a capacity of 250 MW/500 MWh, capable of storing enough energy to power more than two-thirds of Ipswich for two hours each night when demand rises. Most of the power will come from solar power generated from local rooftops. For additional information, see February 28, 2024, article - Major Tesla Battery Storage Project Kicks Off in Queensland.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
