Big BESS: State’s largest power bank to be built in WA’s South West

Perth planners have given the go-ahead for Western Australia’s largest battery storage facility as the shift towards low-emission renewable energy sources surges forward.

The $400 million Battery Energy Storage System – owned by China-listed company Trina Solar – will use lithium-ion battery technology to support the power grid through wind and solar energy.

The Kemerton Battery Energy Storage System was approved by the WA regional Development Assessment Panel on December 4.Credit: Urbis development application

The company said the battery, located in the Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area in the Shire of Harvey, would be capable of generating 660 megawatts of power and holding 2640 megawatt hours of stored power.

Wednesday’s regional Development Assessment Panel approval comes two months after 80 battery units were installed in Collie as an alternative power source ahead of the planned 2027 closure of the town’s coal power station.

Synergy’s Collie Battery will provide 500 megawatts of power with 2000 megawatt hours of storage when connected to the grid in 2025.

Trina development manager Shane Durlik told WAtoday construction on the BESS was expected to begin mid to end-2025.

“It is going to be the largest battery proposal in WA, if not Australia,” he said.

“It’s a very unique project, the location will repurpose an existing sand mine that’s coming to the end of its life, and it’s adjacent to one of the best substations in WA – it ticks all the boxes in how you should develop a renewal project like this.”

All WA coal power plants are set to retire by 2030.

“We need something to confirm the network and replace coal, and batteries is the only feasible product at the moment to do that,” Durlik said.

In October, the project was given “critical project status” by Energy Policy WA and Western Power alongside five others out of 61 applicants.

Durlik said the status would fast-track the Western Power connection process to make sure it was operational ahead of the closure of coal-fired power stations in Collie.

WA company Westsun Energy has partnered with Trina to help develop and build the project.

Trina Solar is currently working on a second battery storage proposal in the state’s Mid West.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.