Akaysha breaks ground on new Queensland battery project

Battery storage developer Akaysha Energy says it has begun construction of its newest battery project, the $200 million Brendale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Queensland.

A “sod-turning” ceremony was held at the site next to the South Pine substation in the northern suburbs of Brisbane this week for the 205MW / 410MWh project, which will be one of the largest in Queensland.

It is one of six big battery projects currently under construction in the state, joining the three already in operation at Wandoan, Chinchilla and Bouldercombe.

Akaysha, backed by global funds giant Blackrock, now has four big battery projects under construction, including the 850 MW, 1680 MWh Waratah Super Battery in NSW, and the 415 MW, 1660 MWh Orana battery, also in NSW, and the 150 MW, 300 MWh Ulinda Park battery in Queensland.

Brendale is expected to be complete in 2026 and – like the Orana project – will feature Tesla Megapack technology, and the price cited by Akaysha for the project confirms the falling costs of the technology.

It will provide both energy arbitrage and frequency control ancillary services to support the National Electricity Market, and Akaysha says it will facilitate the integration of solar and wind projects by leveraging existing transmission infrastructure in the region.

• “The Brendale BESS is an important element of Akaysha Energy’s portfolio across not only Queensland but the NEM more broadly,” said Paul Curnow, the managing director of Akaysha Energy.

“Once operational, the Brendale BESS will significantly bolster the delivery of a stable supply of energy to the local community.”

See Renew Economy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia for more information.