| From: Eric | 11/13/2024 7:55:04 PM | | | | | | Markets
Ireland’s battery storage fleet to grow to 13.5 GWh by 2030
Cornwall Insight calculates that Ireland’s battery storage capacity will reach 13.5 GWh by 2030, up from 2.7 GWh in 2025.
By
Marija Maisch
Nov 13, 2024
Markets
Policy
Tenders
Battery storage capacity forecasts for the Single Electricity Market (SEM) | Image: Cornwall Insight
The Single Electricity Market (SEM) on the island of Ireland is set for a battery storage boom, with short-to-medium duration capacity forecast to increase fivefold by 2030, according to Cornwall Insight.
The consultancy’s SEM Benchmark Power Curve forecasts that the capacity of short- medium term lithium-ion battery storage, which includes batteries from half an hour to four hour storage capacity, will increase from 2.7 GWh in 2025 to 13.5 GWh by 2030.
If these predictions materialise, the battery storage fleet across Ireland and Northern Ireland will have a power output of 5 GW up from the currently installed 1 GW.
“The rising forecasts for short-medium term batteries, shows the Irish government’s battery framework, is certainly doing its job – which is good news for investors and decarbonisation targets alike,” said Lisa Foley, principal consultant at Cornwall Insight. The first national policy for energy storage in Ireland was released in July making a strong push for immediately investing in electricity storage to help meet 2030 targets.
On top of that, Ireland SEM has consistently been identified as one of Europe’s most attractive battery energy storage markets, offering a strong revenue potential due to EirGrid’s luctrative DS3 (Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System) tariffs. The existing tariffs, which were due to be terminated in April, but were subsequently extended to April 2026, incentivize services provided by battery energy storage systems, such as frequency response, ramping, reactive power, inertia, and voltage control.
But while the storage uptake in the SEm has been going strong, concerns remain if renewables targets can be met with both Ireland and Northern Ireland aiming for 80% of electricity to come from renewables by 2030.
“Of course, batteries are only one part of the decarbonisation pie. While renewable technologies are growing, they are unfortunately not keeping up with the levels needed to reach the 2030 renewable generation goals. Swift action on planning and policy improvements is needed to unlock the full potential of our renewable resources and keep pace with our climate goals,” Foley said.
New data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) says there is no scenario in which Ireland will meet its 2030 solar deployment capacity of 8 GW. With existing measures in place, the reality would be more like 5 GW, the government-run group estimates.
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| From: Eric | 11/18/2024 2:04:21 PM | | | | | | GridBeyond Storage funds behind-the-meter BESS across UK, Ireland
GridBeyond Storage will explore behind-the-meter (BTM) solar PV and electric vehicle (EV) charging projects for commercial and industrial customers in Ireland and Scotland.
By
Blathnaid O’Dea
Nov 18, 2024
Distributed
Projects & Applications
Photo by GridBeyond Storage.
Triodos Energy Transition Europe Fund is pumping €11.25 million into its 50/50 joint venture with Ireland-headquartered renewables company GridBeyond. The two entities first entered a partnership, called GridBeyond Storage, in 2022 to roll out behind-the-meter (BTM) battery energy storage systems (BESS) across the UK and Ireland.
Following the latest funding boost, GridBeyond Storage will deliver BESS solutions to two sites, City West and Ballycoolin, both in Dublin, Ireland. Both sites are data centers owned by Keppel DC REIT, a Singapore listed company. The strategy includes the installation and management of a 2 x 2MW/2.2MWh battery at the City West site and a 4MW/6.1MWh battery at the Ballycoolin site. Altogether, the two projects will add 8 MW of flexible capacity to the grid ahead of the winter peak demand period.
An 8.3 MWh BESS asset in Scotland is currently under construction, due for commissioning in Jan. 2025. It is located at glass company O-I Glass’ premises in Alloa, in Scotland. It will incorporate a supporting energy management system (EMS), powered by artificial intelligence.
GridBeyond’s latest investment from Triodos will also enable it to explore other new opportunities, such as behind-the-meter (BTM) solar PV and electric vehicle (EV) charging projects for commercial and industrial customers.
Michiel van Beek, Head of Project Equity at Triodos Investment Management, said the upcoming phase of the partnership between the two firms will be a “highly promising development” for investors and fund partners.
“The potential addition of BTM solar PV and EV charging projects further strengthens our portfolio with innovative technologies that align with the global push for decarbonization, offering strong risk-adjusted returns,” he added.
The joint venture’s first project has been operational since March 2023, and is located at CareyGlass in County Tipperary, Ireland. The 1.1 MWh BESS asset provides CareyGlass, a glass processing company, with a secure energy storage option to serve as a backup in the event of a power outage.
According to GridBeyond’s Deputy CEO Richard O’Loughlin, the Dublin, Ireland-based company’s partnership with Triodos has enabled it to deliver BESS solutions for industrial and commercial energy users in Ireland. A recent report by Cornwall Insights projected Ireland’s battery energy storage fleet will grow to reach 13.5 GWh by 2030, up from a capacity of 2.7 GWh in 2025.
“It’s great to have the opportunity to deliver further flexible energy across the UK and Ireland to support the energy transition to a net-zero future,” O’Loughlin said of GridBeyond Storage’s plans.
“As more renewables are integrated into the energy market, batteries are a great asset, which can provide our industrial and commercial customers with more resilience, mitigate risk of power interruption, support grid connection challenges and ultimately deliver value for our customer, also through cost savings and carbon reduction.”
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| From: Eric | 11/18/2024 2:49:07 PM | | | | | | Supply chain
Masdar-backed Terra-Gen places 8 GWh energy storage order with LG
The Korean electronics giant has confirmed a four-year order has been placed with its Texas-based Energy Solution Vertech unit.
By
Max Hall
Nov 18, 2024
Grid-scale
Markets
Projects & Applications
Supply chain
LG's Energy Solution Vertech business, in Houston, Texas, secured the energy storage order. | Image: Image capture: June 2024 © 2024 Google/Google Street View
The LG Energy Solution Vertech Inc. unit of South Korean battery giant LG has confirmed reports it has secured an 8 GWh order from United Arab Emirates- (UAE) and Australian-owned US renewables developer Terra-Gen.
A brief post by the US-based LG unit on social media platform LinkedIn, on Nov. 16, 2024, stated: “We’re excited to announce a new 8 GWh service retention agreement with Terra-Gen, LLC! Projects will be delivered in the US during a four-year period, with all products meeting domestic content requirements.”
While the post did not add further details, a report on the website of newspaper the “Korea Economic Daily” stated the energy storage system (ESS) supply deal would run from 2026 to 2029 and supply enough electricity to power around 800,000 homes daily.
Korea Business News has estimated the supply deal will be worth KRW 2 trillion ($1.43 billion).
Both reports stated the order was the biggest secured by LG’s Texas-based business unit, which was formed in 2022 when the Korean brand acquired ESS integrator NEC Energy Solutions. That move was made with the aim of unifying LG’s battery manufacturing and system integration services in the United States. LG is investing KRW 7.2 trillion into a battery manufacturing site in Arizona which is set to open by 2026 and will produce pouch-type lithium ferro-phosphate batteries for ESS and devices for electric vehicles.
Terra-Gen, which placed the LG order, has previously worked with the Korean company on a 2.2 GWh ESS in California.
Developer Terra-Gen was founded as a 50/50 joint venture between US-based investment firm Energy Capital Partners (ECP) and Australian counterpart Igneo Infrastructure Partners. UAE state-owned entity Masdar completed the acquisition of ECP’s stake on Sep. 30, 202.
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| From: Eric | 11/21/2024 3:39:55 PM | | | | | | Origin adds more storage to Eraring battery, making it biggest in Australia and one of world’s largest
Eraring battery transformer on the way
Giles Parkinson
Nov 21, 2024
14
Battery
Storage
Origin Energy has announced a third stage to the giant battery at Eraring, ensuring that the site of Australia’s biggest coal generator is transformed into the country’s biggest battery, and one of the biggest in the world.
The company announced on Thursday that the new expansion will add 700 megawatt-hours of storage, essentially turning the first stage of the project from a two hour battery rated at 460 MW and 1070 MWh, into a four hour battery rated at 460 MW and 1770 MWh, making it better suited to feed into the extended evening demand peaks.
That component will be completed by the end of next year, including the expanded storage capacity, while the previously announced second stage of 240 MW and 1030 MWh is due to be on line in 2027.
That will take the total facility to 700 MW and 2,800 MWh – the size originally contemplated when the Eraring battery plans first took shape.
It will make Eraring the biggest battery in Australia, overtaking the Neoen Collie battery (560 MW, 2240 MWh) that is also under construction, the biggest in the southern hemisphere and one of the biggest in the world, although some projects in the planning are potentially five times the size.
Origin’s head of energy supply Greg Jarvis says the battery will cement Eraring’s importance to the grid for decades to come.
“The scale of this project is impressive,” he said in a statement.
“The site, at more than 17 hectares, is equivalent in area to 24 soccer fields and once complete, it will host more than 2,000 individual battery enclosures and some 180 kilometres of cabling.
“At 2,800 MWh, when cycled once a day, the Eraring battery will dispatch enough energy to power more than 150,000 NSW households annually, helping to firm variable supply from wind and solar.”
An Origin spokesperson told Renew Economy that expanding an existing storage project made more sense because it enables economies of scale, and avoids any potential future outages to extend storage duration at a later date, once in operation. It will involve the addition of another 560 battery enclosures.
The evolution of Eraring has been mired in controversy, largely because of the decision by the NSW government to effectively underwrite the ageing coal fired power station’s operations until 2027 at a cost of up to $450 million.
Origin had announced in 2022 the planned “early closure” of Eraring in late 2025. But its failure to invest in any new capacity, and the lack of sufficient investment elsewhere in the grid, more or less forced the hand of the state government, anxious to avoid price spikes ahead of the next state election.
Since landing that underwriting agreement, Origin has quickly accelerated its planned spending in wind, solar and battery projects.
Apart from Eraring, it has committed to another big battery – 300 MW and 650 – next to its Mortlake gas-fired power generator in Victoria, and has a “tolling” agreement for the off take of the new 500 MW, 1560 MWh Supernode battery in Queensland that will come online in early 2026.
It has also bought the huge 1.4 GW Yanco Delta wind project in the south-west of NSW, and is advancing other wind and solar projects.
The Eraring battery is being supplied by Finnish technology group Wärtsilä and design and construction services will be provided by Enerven, consistent with the rest of the project.
Origin says the 40 year-old Eraring coal plant is now scheduled to close in August 2027, as part of the agreement with the NSW government – although its official closure date has been pushed out to early 2029.
See also Renew Economy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia.
reneweconomy.com.au |
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| From: Savant | 11/22/2024 10:38:20 AM | | | | | | Quantum-inspired tech turns heat into electricity via light with 60% efficiency
Batteries aren’t perfect, they have their shortcomings. For instance, they are made of scarce minerals often obtained through unsustainable mining practices. When dumped, they release harmful chemicals into the environment and have limited lifespans.
When it comes to energy storage, although we currently rely heavily on batteries, we need a much greener and cleaner solution. One such promising avenue is thermal energy (electrical) storage (TES) systems, which store electricity as thermal energy by converting it into heat, which can later be converted back into electricity when needed.
TES require low-cost materials, have much longer lifespans compared to batteries, and are easier to scale up for grid-sized systems. They can stabilize renewable energy grids by storing extra solar or wind power when it’s available and supplying it during peak demand.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a highly efficient thermal emitter that can contribute to the development of practical and scalable TES systems. A thermal emitter is the key component in TES that absorbs heat, gets hot and converts heat into electromagnetic radiation, which is then captured by a photovoltaic cell to generate electricity.
Quantum-inspired tech turns heat into electricity via light with 60% efficiency |
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| From: Eric | 11/24/2024 6:57:56 PM | | | | | | Markets
“Expansion of privately-owned Chinese BESS integrators overseas is inevitable”
While the same names appear on this year’s top five list of global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrators, the order has changed. Anqi Shi, principal analyst, batteries and energy storage, at S&P Global, tells ESS News that the battle for market share will intensify with Chinese players looking to further expand their global footprint.
By
Marija Maisch
Nov 20, 2024
Industry
Manufacturing
Markets
Supply chain
Sungrow subjected its liquid-cooled PowerTitan grid storage batteries to a large-scale fire test. | Image: Sungrow
China’s Sungrow has usurped Fluence as the leading global BESS integrator in the 2024 rankings composed by S&P Global Commodity Insights, a testament to the rapid expansion of Chinese players in the global market.
Looking at the total pipeline of installed and contracted projects across the globe, Sungrow has cemented itself in the top position, followed by Tesla Energy, Fluence, HyperStrong, and Wärtsilä Energy.
Outside of China, the rankings look slightly changed, with Sungrow again leading the pack, followed by Tesla, Fluence, Wärtsilä Energy, and Powin.
“Sungrow has the most diversified customer base across all large-scale markets thanks to its established inverter business. Western suppliers don’t have access to China’s BESS market, which accounts for more than half of the global BESS demand. They also hold a significant contracted project pipeline with very large sizes in markets outside of China,” Anqi Shi, principal analyst, batteries and energy storage, at S&P Global, tells ESS News.
Some of the landmark agreements Sungrow made over the course of the previous year include, a 7.8 GWh supply deal with Saudi Arabia’s Algihaz Holding in July – which at the time was also the world’s largest and only a month later overshadowed by a Tesla US deal for 15.3 GWh. Furthermore, the Chinese manufacturer has agreed to deliver 880 MWh to Atlas Renewables in China, 800 MWh to Engie in Belgium, and 640 MWh to SSE Renewables in the UK, and the list goes on.
China’s energy storage market grew nearly 250% in 2023 and is dominated by domestic players. This has propelled four China-based integrators into the top ten – Sungrow, HyperStrong, SCETL, and CRRC.
“The Chinese energy storage suppliers established by state-owned power generation and electrical equipment enterprises have been growing very fast in the past one or two years, taking places in China’s top 10 rankings. This has squeezed the market opportunities for privately-owned companies and pushed them even harder to expand overseas,” Shi says.
However, to date, only one Chinese company appears in the global ranking if the Chinese market is excluded – Sungrow, but the competition is intensifying.
“The competition in China leaves a very thin to zero margin for system integrators now, so it’s inevitable that the privately-owned Chinese integrators will continue expanding overseas,” Shi says. “It’s also possible that we see more Chinese integrators who haven’t had a large global expansion becoming OEMs for Western integrators. This enables Western players to access the low-cost supply chain in China, and Chinese players to access a higher revenue margin in overseas markets.”
Recent collaboration announcements between Western system integrators and their Chinese peers include Fluence – Hyperstrong, and Wärtsilä – RCT Power.
Outside of China, different trends can be observed, with the United States and Australia markets dominated by US-headquartered integrators. On the other hand, Europe’s competitive environment is much more diverse.
“Another trend is a few developers in the US, China, and Germany are favoring a self-integration approach instead of hiring system integrators, which narrows the share of the market for dedicated system integrators,” Shi says.
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| From: Eric | 11/24/2024 7:02:21 PM | | | | | | Distributed
US utility Xcel Energy launches battery storage incentive program
Incentives are currently available for battery storage systems up to 50 kWh paired with solar systems under two programs ran in parallel in the state of Minnesota.
By
Marija Maisch
Nov 20, 2024
Distributed
Finance
Projects & Applications
 Image: Enphase Energy
Minneapolis-headquratered utility Xcel Energy has launched an energy storage incentive program to the tune of $3.48 million in the US state of Minessota.
The investor-owned utility, which operates across eight Western and Midwestern states, serves half of the homes and businesses in Minnesota.
Now, customers within the utility’s service territory can access incentives for solar plus storage systems as of November 12, 2024.
Small businesses and homeowners can add a new battery storage system with a maximum capacity of 50 kWh to a new or existing solar interconnection agreement.
Xcel Energy will provide an incentive within 30 business days of operation, paying $175 per kWh of energy capacity.
Income qualified customers are eligible for an inccentive of $370 per kWh of energy capacity. A total of 10% of program budget is specifically reserved for this customer group until September 1, 2026.
The upfront incentive payment is capped at $5,000.
In addition to being charged by solar energy, eligible storage systems must be new and in process of being purchased and installed.
For customers outside Xcel Energy service areas, battery storage incentives are administered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce under the program launched earlier this year. These incentives only apply to new systems installed after August 1, 2024, and with at least a 10-year manufacturer warranty.
According to the Department’s website, currently available incentives pay $250 per kWh with the maximim amount capped at $7,000 for storage system of 50 kWh or less installed in conjunction with on-site solar system.
Under the Income Qualified Pilot Program, customers can claim $1,000 per kWh up to a total maximum of $15,000 per project. The remaining non-Xcel funds stand at $1.975,875, according to the Department.
Funds are limited for both incentive programs and will be administered on a first come, first served basis.
The Department of Commerce says it will have approximately $2,160,000 available for incentives and is additionally collaborating with the Tribal Advisory Council on Energy to develop a program specific for Tribal Nations.
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| From: Eric | 11/26/2024 9:14:19 AM | | | | | | NSW gives planning approval for giant 2 GWh battery at site of state’s likely last coal generator
The proposed Hallett battery in South Australia
Image Credit: EnergyAustralia
Giles Parkinson & Joshua S Hill
Nov 26, 2024
1
Battery
Storage
The New South Wales government says it has given approval for a giant battery project at Mt Piper, near Lithgow, at the site of what could well be the last coal fired power station to close in the state.
The plan for a 500 megawatt (MW), 2,000 megawatt hour (MWh) is being proposed by Mt Piper owner EnergyAustralia, one of a number of storage projects in its development portfolio, including the neighbouring Lake Lyell pumped hydro project.
EnergyAustralia hopes to begin construction of the big battery in 2026, and it will follow other coal plant owners in NSW – including AGL’s Liddell facility and Origin’s Eraring facility – in building massive batteries at the site of shuttered or soon to be closed coal fired power generators.
The state is also building the 850 MW, 1680 MWh Waratah Super Battery at the site of the shuttered Munmorah coal fired generator on the central coast, while two different battery projects have been proposed for the site of the shuttered Wallerawang coal generator near Lithgow.
EnergyAustralia estimates that the battery project will inject around $1 billion into the NSW economy, and employ 177 people in the construction phase.
“With a $1 billion price tag, this battery is among the biggest in Australia,” said Paul Scully, NSW’s minister for planning and public spaces.
“It stands ready to inject major capital investment, create jobs and provide Lithgow Council with $2 million to invest in local community projects.
“Large-scale batteries are crucial for our state’s energy future. They help store renewable energy, making sure that we have a reliable power supply even when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing.
“This project not only supports our transition to cleaner energy but it also strengthens our energy security and resilience. Investing in these batteries means a more sustainable and dependable energy system for everyone.”
The Mt Piper coal fired power generator is currently due to close in 2040, making it the last one standing in what remains the country’s biggest coal grid.
But most market analysts believe it will close well before that, although that also depends on the pace of new wind and solar capacity, and market conditions at the time. The Eraring, Vales Point and Bayswater coal generators are due to all close over the next nine years.
EnergyAustralia is hoping to build or contract around 3GW of new wind and solar capacity but is committing most of its energy to building new storage projects, including the Wooreen battery in the Latrobe Valley, near its Jeeralang gas plant, and the Hallett battery in South Australia, next to an existing gas plant.
The Wooreen project is currently slated to be sized at 350MW with four hours storage, while Hallett will initially measure in at 50MW/200MWh, with plans to triple its capacity to 150MW/600MWh down the track.
Both have won underwriting agreements with the federal government under a pilot tender of the Capacity Investment Scheme, and it is likely that the Mt Piper battery will also be submitted in current and future tenders.
reneweconomy.com.au |
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| From: Eric | 12/1/2024 8:27:03 AM | | | | | | Eyes of the energy world on Australian vanadium battery tech
Horizon Power Executive General Manager – People, Safety and Governance Jennie Milne, Minister for Energy Reece Whitby, Member for Kimberley Divina D’anna, CEO Australian Vanadium Graham Arvidson
Marion Rae
Dec 1, 2024
4
Battery
Storage
A deep-storage battery being trialled in Kununurra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia could solve the clean energy challenge for some of the nation’s most remote communities.
As well as being a challenging environment to live or work in, hot and humid Kununurra is not connected to the state or national electricity grid.
“A lot of our communities are remote and do struggle with the cost of living and we don’t want them to miss out on the energy transition,” Horizon Power’s executive general manager for business development and strategy Vi Garrood told AAP.
“And we don’t want to compromise on safety – that’s why small-scale trials are really important,” she said.
The vanadium flow battery won’t power cars, laptops or fit into a mobile phone, but it can store energy for 10-12 hours and help homes and worksites to displace diesel and gas with clean, safe and reliable power.
As the state’s regional power provider, Horizon is using the trial to learn how to provide safe, affordable, reliable off-grid power during extreme temperatures and major weather events.
“It’s one of the technologies we need to get us to net zero and running on 100 per cent renewables for periods of time,” Ms Garrood said.
After stress-testing the technology in Kununurra, it could be rolled out across Horizon’s microgrids and other systems.
“Each battery design is examined on the basis of what application we need it for – so what is the problem it’s solving,” she said.
With a 78-kilowatt capacity and 220 kilowatt hours of storage, WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby says the vanadium battery is well suited to Kimberley conditions, where energy storage must cope with extreme temperatures and deliver energy over a long period of time.
“Here in Kununurra, where it was 44 degrees the other day, you need a battery that’s tough … and these, we hope, will do the job very well,” Mr Whitby said.
“We know that the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow so batteries are the answer in terms of capturing that energy when it’s available and dispatching it when it’s really needed.
Horizon is also trialling Redflow’s zinc bromine flow battery (100 kW/400 kWh) on Nullagine’s microgrid and BASF’s sodium sulphur battery (250 kW/1450 kWh) at Carnarvon.
“The eyes of the energy world are looking at Kununurra to see how this goes.”
The various technologies can shift rooftop solar electricity produced in the middle of the day to evening hours and operate alongside existing lithium-ion batteries in Horizon’s network, to provide longer-duration storage.
Most of Horizon’s systems are microgrids, for remote communities and mining operations, and involve generation, network and retail components all within the particular community they are supporting.
Ms Garrood said deep-storage batteries can cover periods of “renewable drought” when there is minimal generation, including for night-time loads.
“Long-duration energy storage is important for us because it’s predicted to be cost-effective when compared to lithium-ion batteries,” she said.
“It could open the door to taking our small, microgrid communities to 100 per cent renewable energy – that’s the plan.”
“Our best chance of success at decarbonisation is to throw everything at it, and deep storage is one of many solutions in our toolkit,” she said.
As the technology is based around a tank of liquid electrolytes, they are less likely to catch fire. They can be scaled up and save space by adding more tanks rather than shipping in container-sized lithium batteries.
It’s also very important to have local support and gain experience when trialling new technology, especially for systems that are in remote locations and typically automated, Ms Garrood said.
The technology supplied by VSUN Energy, an offshoot of mining company Australian Vanadium Ltd (AVL), can charge and discharge energy at the same time and the units have a life span of more than 25 years.
With most of the world’s vanadium supply coming from Russia, China, and South Africa, AVL intends to provide an ethical supply of vanadium to battery, steel and metals markets.
Their electrolyte manufacturing facility in WA is part of a “pit to battery” strategy that could support the rollout of vanadium flow batteries in Australia, according to chief executive Graham Arvidson.
While it’s a first for Horizon, the 40-year-old technology was invented in Australia at the University of NSW and has been grid-connected for 20 years in other countries.
“It’s really coming into its own with the energy transition because we’re looking at long-duration batteries to enable renewable energy like solar to be shifted from day to evening,” Mr Arvidson.
“Now that this battery is commissioned, we’re looking forward to a true test of what it can do for communities like Kununurra,” he said.
reneweconomy.com.au |
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| From: Eric | 12/2/2024 8:47:00 PM | | | | | |
| Victoria adds new big battery with Rangebank switched on
One of the biggest battery energy storage systems built in Victoria has been officially switched on, providing essential system services for the electricity grid and helping to increase the state’s renewable energy hosting capacity.
December 3, 2024 David Carroll
Image: Eku Energy
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Less than 18 months after the start of construction, the 200 MW / 400 MWh Rangebank battery energy storage system (BESS), which was first energised in August, has officially commenced full operations, now helping to stabilise Victoria’s electricity supply by providing additional storage capacity that can be discharged at times of peak demand.
Jointly developed by Macquarie Group’s battery platform Eku Energy and oil major Shell, the battery is located in the Rangebank Business Park at Cranbourne on Melbourne’s southeast. Victorian real estate company Perfection Private, which developed the industrial estate, is a minority shareholder in the project.
Shell holds the rights to charge and dispatch 100% of the battery’s capacity through a 20-year tolling agreement.
Shell Energy Australia Chief Executive Officer Tony Keeling said the agreement strengthens the company’s growing battery portfolio with the 200 MW Rangebank system capable of powering 80,000 homes for an hour during peak periods.
“Rangebank BESS is an important addition to Shell Energy’s battery portfolio being our first grid-scale battery investment in Victoria and Shell’s first direct equity investment in a utility-scale BESS globally,” he said, adding that it will help deliver a more reliable energy supply for customers as the energy market continues to evolve.
“This project demonstrates how dispatchable power like battery storage complements renewables, in this case being located in one of Victoria’s fasting growing population corridors,” Keeling said.
The Rangebank battery is part of a growing portfolio for Eku which was established in late 2022 and now has three operational assets and more than 50 projects in the development pipeline across Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan and Italy.
“Rangebank BESS represents a significant achievement for Eku Energy and further demonstrates our commitment to advancing battery storage solutions worldwide,” Eku Chief Operating Officer Tom Best said.
Eku’s Australian projects include the 150 MW/150 MWh Hazelwood and 300 MW / 1,200 MWh Tramway Road batteries in Victoria, and the 250 MW / 500 MWh Williamsdale battery being developed in the Australian Capital Territory.
The Rangebank BESS features Fluence’s latest Gridstack energy storage technology. Image: Eku Energy
The Rangebank battery was built and will be serviced and maintained by United States-based storage technology company Fluence, which supplied 640 of its Gridstack cubes for the project.
Eku said the Rangebank battery is the second largest in Victoria – a behind Neoen’s 300 MW / 450 MWh Victoria Big Battery – but it is sure to be soon overtaken.
Among the projects in the pipeline are an approved 350 MW / 700 MWh project being developed in western Victoria by Melbourne-headquartered ACEnergy while Chinese solar giant Trina Solar has announced plans to build a 500 MW / 1 GWh battery in the state’s northeast. Also on the drawing board is a 1 GW / 2.5 GWh battery being developed by British-owned energy company Pacific Green in Victoria’s southwest.
Victoria is targeting 2.6 GW of renewable energy storage capacity by 2030, and 6.3 GW by 2035.
The Rangebank battery is one of a further 12 utility scale battery projects under construction or in commissioning in Victoria. The state government said these will add another 1.4 GW of additional output capacity and 3.2 GWH of storage.
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