They Launch the First Eight-Hour Battery in Australia
An energy company is completing a major grid-scale storage facility for solar power.
Large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming a standard part of the electricity market and an important provider of ancillary services and grid flexibility. The capacity of BESS systems is usually limited, for example, compared to pumped-hydro power plants. Therefore, they are mainly used for short-term energy provision, typically lasting for a 2-4 hour charging or discharging cycle.
However, projects with longer durations are gradually emerging. Australia is preparing a battery storage facility with a capacity of 50 MW/400 MWh, which can draw or supply electricity to the grid for eight hours in a single cycle. Upon its launch in just a few months, it will be the grid battery with the longest duration in the country.
The battery storage facility is being built in New South Wales at a site where RWE Renewables Australia already operates the Limondale Solar Farm. The battery's preparation has recently moved from the construction phase to the testing phase. The company expects the launch by the end of this year.
The project succeeded in the 2023 state tender for providing long-duration electricity storage services. Once operational, it is expected to absorb the surplus of renewable electricity during the day and release it into the grid during peak demand, thereby increasing grid stability.
Battery for Solar Power
"This is an important moment for long-duration battery storage in Australia. We are proud to bring our global expertise to this pioneering project. It will support New South Wales’ transition towards cleaner and more reliable energy. Batteries are key to the energy transition. With projects like this, RWE helps harness the full potential of renewable generation by providing it when it's needed most," states Daniel Belton, Executive Director of RWE Renewables Australia, in a company statement.
The battery storage is being built next to a massive solar park with an installed capacity of 249 MW and 872,000 panels, which has been operational since 2021. The company has not disclosed the battery's investment costs. Based on estimated unit costs of $300,000 – $400,000 per MWh, the total sum could range from $120 million to $160 million, excluding other associated costs (permitting, installation, grid connection).
The Limondale BESS is not the only large-scale storage with an eight-hour capacity globally. Similar batteries are being planned or are already under construction in other countries, including Canada, China, and the US states of California and New York. Among the largest storage facilities, even if currently only on paper, is another Australian project—the Myrtle Creek BESS with a capacity of 275 MW/2200 MWh.