France’s Neoen has began building of its 200 MW/400 MWh Western Downs Battery within the Australian state of Queensland. That is Neoen’s fourth massive battery in Australia and brings its storage portfolio to 776 MW/1,279 MWh working or underneath building.
from Australia’s pv journal
Following the announcement of Tesla, which is able to present its Megapacks for the challenge, and the stability of the plant contractor UGL, early work on the development of the Western Downs Battery is now underway. The battery will likely be positioned subsequent to the almost accomplished 460 MWp Western Downs photo voltaic farm. Neoen estimates an Australian summer time operation date of 2024-25.
The challenge obtained the assist of the Australian Renewable Vitality Company (ARENA) Massive Scale Battery Storage Funding Spherical, which is able to see the battery geared up with grid-forming inverter know-how to assist it carry out important system stability companies. beforehand supplied by synchronous turbines akin to coal and gasoline.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller describes battery storage as a “key know-how within the transition to renewable power, permitting us to streamline variable technology and retailer electrical energy when it is wanted.”
“Subsequent technology grid scale batteries just like the Western Downs Battery will assist this transition, with inverter know-how that may keep grid stability with out fossil fuels,” added Miller.
The primary perform of the battery is the primary to see that it stabilizes renewables, particularly photo voltaic from Neoen’s Western Downs Inexperienced Energy Hub, along with frequency companies and transmission community assist.
“We’re delighted to proceed ‘going’ with Western Downs Battery, constructing our Western Downs photo voltaic farm which is nearing completion” stated Neoen Australia Managing Director Louis de Sambucy.
The chairman and CEO of Neoen, Xavier Barbaro, added that the battery is essentially the most highly effective in Queensland, “a state the place the tempo of power transition is quick.”
The information comes simply weeks after Neoen’s plans to construct a stand-alone 1 GW/4 GWh battery close to the transitional city of Collie in Western Australia have been authorised by state and native authorities.
The Collie gigawatt-scale challenge, anticipated to be operational “on or earlier than 2025,” will embody 5 particular person 200 MW/800 MWh battery compounds with a complete mixed output of 1,000 MW/ 4,000 MWh. The challenge will likely be inbuilt 200 MW/800 MWh phases “to satisfy the progressive improve in demand for power storage.”
Neoen additionally constructed the present 150 MW/194 MWh Hornsdale Energy Reserve in South Australia, the world’s first massive battery, and the 300 MW/450 MWh Victorian Huge Battery which got here on-line in December 2021, the 100 MW/ 200 MWh Capital battery outdoors Canberra , a 300 MW/800 MWh battery close to Blyth in South Australia, and a 500 MW/1000 MWh battery to be constructed close to Wallerawang west of Sydney. It has additionally submitted a improvement utility for a 200 MW/400 MWh battery facility to be constructed close to Chittering in Western Australia.
Neoen’s ongoing huge battery growth throughout Australia ought to come as no shock because the developer considers its Victorian Huge Battery to just about triple its storage income within the first 9 months of 2022. Via September 2022, the corporate’s income totaled $547 million (USD 347.4 million), with progress in photo voltaic and wind revenues alongside a big surge from battery storage.
In response to Neoen it at the moment holds a worldwide storage portfolio of 842 MW/1,341 MWh.
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