500MW Battery Storage Project by Neoen Planned for Australia

Rendering of the 500MW Western NSW Battery Energy Storage System. Image: Neoen

Following the success of Neoen’s first battery storage project in Australia, the Hornsdale Power Reserve, as well as plans for battery storage combined with renewables projects in the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria, the company has submitted a scoping report with the appropriate NSW Government agency, outlining the importance of this large battery project as part of the Central-Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) located about 100km west of Sydney, the first of the NSW government’s Renewable Energy Zones planned to drive the state towards zero emissions power generation.

According to Neoen’s scoping report, “The large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that would be delivered by the project would operate unlike any other device currently connected to the NSW network, and would provide a range of services with extremely fast response times to support a stable network and security of supply. The energy storage capacity provided by the project would allow for increased installation of renewable energy sources while maintaining network stability and security,”

The battery could be operational by 2023, and would be built near the site of the 1,000MW Wallerawang coal power station that was mothballed in 2014. Neoen says that the new battery would provide additional energy system support services including frequency control, and would utilise some of the infrastructure that was used by the former coal plant.