Giant batteries to power Victoria through renewable energy boom

TWO giant batteries will help power Victoria through a boom in new renewable energy, lowering power prices and stabilising the grid at times of peak demand.

TWO giant batteries will help power Victoria through a boom in new renewable energy, lowering power prices and stabilising the grid at times of peak demand.

Victoria’s first two large-scale, grid-connected batteries will together deliver 55 MW of power and can provide approximately 80 MWh of energy storage capacity.

The $50 million lithium-ion batteries will be installed at the Gannawarra solar farm near Kerang, and in Warrenheip near Ballarat to help ease constraints on transmission lines are currently incapable of dealing with the surplus of wind and solar energy.

HOMES RIPE TO GO “OFF THE GRID” WITH BATTERIES

Victoria’s first two large-scale, grid-connected batteries will together deliver 55 MW of power and can provide approximately 80 MWh of energy storage capacity. Picture: Supplied

The Turnbull Government has provided $25 million towards the purchase through Australian Renewable Energy Agency — matching the initial commitment of the Victorian Government.

EnergyAustralia has signed agreements worth around $50 million to charge and dispatch energy from battery storage systems into the grid until 2030 and 2033 respectively.

The retailer’s managing director, Catherine Tanna, said the commitment would provide families and businesses with reliable, affordable and cleaner energy.

“Renewable energy is an obvious contributor to filling the gap left by the retirement of coal

plants, but we need to maintain a stable grid during cloudy and windless times,” Ms Tanna

said.

“On hot days, when demand and prices spike, these battery storage systems can be brought into action in seconds, keeping the lights on and costs down.

The Ballarat-based battery will be capable of powering 20,000 homes for an hour and its installation will reduced the need to expand the substation by easing pressure on the congested transmission terminal.

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Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment, and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg.

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The battery near Kerang, providing 25MW of energy and 50MWh of storage capacity will be the largest integrated battery and solar farm in Australia — capable of operating at full capacity for two hours or providing power to at least 800 households for 24 hours.

Construction will begin this month, with both batteries to be commissioned in time for next summer’s peak.

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the batteries will deliver crucial power supply, frequency control and related back-up services in milliseconds to maintain stability in the network for Western Victoria.

“We said we would deliver this for Victoria, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said storage had been the missing piece of the energy jigsaw for a long time, allowing unused renewables to be stored instead of wasted and powering prices.

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