Construction has begun on Western Australia’s second grid-wide battery as the state government looks to increase energy storage capacity to support a planned transition from coal to renewables.
Western Australian state-owned energy producer and retailer Synergy said construction of a new 200MW/800MWh large battery has begun at the site alongside the 100MW/200MWh Kwinana battery energy storage system, which is currently in the testing and commissioning process. .
The 200MWh first phase of the Kwinana battery project is expected to be fully integrated into the state’s grid by the end of the week, while work begins on the A$625 million ($415 million) second phase, which will generate four times that. storage capacity.
The 800MWh second phase of the battery energy storage system, due for completion by the end of 2024, will be built on a three-hectare site adjacent to the first grid-sized battery built on the site of the decommissioned Kwinana power station. 30 kilometers south of Perth.
According to Synergy, which operates and manages the battery energy storage system, the new battery comprises 288 shipping container-sized battery modules and 72 inverter units that utilize new generation technology to support grid stability by storing electricity when demand is lowest and delivering. it back online at peak times, providing vital system security for the SWIS (South West Interconnected System).
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said the battery would act as the “infrastructure of the future” and play an important role in the state’s energy transition as WA’s state-owned coal-fired power plants phase out by 2030.
The battery is expected to support the addition of renewable energy to the grid, smooth fluctuations in demand and supply of renewable energy, and significantly promote the security and stability of the grid.
In its latest budget, the Western Australian government has allocated A$2.8 billion for renewable energy infrastructure, including a 500MW/2000MWh battery energy storage system to be built near the coal town of Collie in the state’s south-west. The Collie big battery development application is expected to arrive later this year.
The Western Australian Government has estimated that SWIS may need around 50 GW of new renewable electricity and storage infrastructure to support growing demand over the next 20 years.
