The largest battery in the southern hemisphere has been switched on ahead of the summer, safeguarding the state’s energy supply.
Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio visited the Moorabool Terminal Station in the north-west of Geelong last week to switch on Victoria’s Big Battery.
The 300-megawatt Tesla system was developed by renewable energy specialist Neoen and to help modernise the state’s electricity grid, support new renewable energy capacity and improve the reliability of power supply in the face of increasingly hot summers.
“We are proud to be flicking on the switch for Australia’s biggest battery which will help protect our network in summer, support our renewable revolution and reduce energy prices,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“The Victorian Big Battery will deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable power and help us reach our ambitious target of halving emissions by 2030.”
The battery reserves 80 per cent of its capacity to allow the Australian Energy Market Operator to increase the power flow through the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector, meaning it will provide an automatic instant response in the event of an unexpected network outage.
The switching on of the battery comes just over 12 months after the project was announced.
“We are extremely proud to have delivered the largest battery in Australia in record time,” Neoen Australia managing director Louis de Sambucy said.
“We are honoured to be contributing a project of this scale and innovation. With two gigawatts of projects in our pipeline in Victoria, we are committed to continuing to play our part in Victoria’s renewable energy transition.”
The battery is also expected to help reduce wholesale energy prices and power bills by storing cheaper renewable energy and discharging it when needed.
Independent analysis has shown that every $1 invested in the battery will deliver $2.40 in benefits to Victorian households and businesses.
With renewable energy generation jumping from 10 per cent in 2014 to more than 30 per cent this year, the battery’s increased ability to store the power will be beneficial when the state’s ageing coal-fired generators are put under stress during peak demand periods in the summer.
The battery’s construction created 150 construction jobs in the region through the pandemic and six full-time positions.
Neoen said local suppliers had been contracted for “multiple elements of the project” and the company would support the community through an annual Community Benefit Fund grant program over the asset’s lifetime.
Lara MP John Eren said it was a positive project for Geelong.
“I’m so proud to see this project up and running, delivering energy reliability to all Victorians. It’s a fantastic achievement for Geelong and will help the state shore up energy reliability during hotter, longer summers.”
