Synergy has awarded a $155 million contract to NHOA Australia – an energy storage and eMobility company – to deliver the state’s biggest lithium-ion battery, through the Western Australian government.
Synergy will operate the battery, which will help stabilise the electricity system by absorbing fluctuations caused by the increasing number of renewables on the grid.
“My government has committed $140 million to build Western Australia’s biggest battery to support the main electricity grid, which serves more than 1.1 million customers,” WA premier Mark McGowan said.
“This battery is crucial to WA’s sustainable energy future and a key part of the Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap.
“There is a rapid energy transformation happening and energy storage systems such as this battery will play a key role in providing better energy outcomes for Western Australian households and businesses.”
NHOA Australia has awarded a $50 million contract to local contractor GenusPlus Group for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the big battery.
The 100-megawatt battery, to be built at the decommissioned Kwinana Power Station, will have the capacity to power the equivalent of 160,000 homes for two hours.
Construction will begin in November, with the battery expected to be operational by the end of 2022.
The battery will be able to store excess rooftop solar energy during the day, when demand is low, and discharge electricity rapidly during the afternoon and evening peak.
The site is bigger than 20 tennis courts placed side-by-side, with space to expand the battery’s power and energy capacity if required in the future.
“WA’s biggest battery will support more renewable energy technologies joining the grid and help increase power stability,” WA Energy minister Bill Johnston said.
“NHOA is of one of the world’s top utility-scale energy storage organisations, having installed batteries and microgrids in 26 countries.
“Congratulations to NHOA on winning this contract and to their subcontractor, Belmont business GenusPlus Group, who will require up to 100 workers for the project.”
One in three Western Australian households have rooftop solar panels and this is expected to rise to 50 per cent by 2030.
The Western Australian government has committed $140 million towards the Synergy battery project, with the Commonwealth government also contributing $15 million.
