Big batteries notch up “mammoth” 2021, head for more than 1GWh in 2022

Big batteries have notched up a “mammoth year” in Australia in 2021 and delivered the bulk of a new record for large- and small-scale energy storage growth, with a combined capacity of more than one gigawatt-hour installed nationally for the year.

New data from solar and storage market analyst SunWiz has found that a total of 756MWh of non-residential battery systems were installed in 2021, driven by the Victorian Big Battery and Wandoan BESS.

Added to the 333MWh of home batteries installed – which as One Step Off The Grid reports here was slightly down on 2020 numbers – the combined tally of 1089MWh made 2021 the first year more than 1GWh of new battery capacity installed for Australia.

And the near-term outlook is looking good, too, with what SunWiz describes as “a raft” of medium and big battery announced in 2021, as renewable energy developers seek to make the most of their assets and gen-tailers seek to replace coal plants.

Network owners and service providers are also getting in on the action, the report says, using small deployments of grid-connected storage to address network issues. Miners, too, are increasingly turning to battery storage to take power supply into their own hands.

SunWiz also notes that large-scale battery projects – which RenewEconomy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia counts as between 10MW or 10MWh and above – are, on average, getting bigger; or at least offering longer duration storage.

“A few announcements of 4-hour energy storage [indicate that] the focus is shifting towards bulk energy storage in order to deliver valuable electricity from solar farms,” the report says.

Another important trend, SunWiz adds, is an increase in electricity retailers announcing new projects, like Alinta in Western Australia and AGL in Victoria, demonstrating the increasing profitability of batteries.

Notable examples include Alinta’s plans for a four-hour big battery next to a solar farm in Port Hedland, Western Australia – both of which will be among the largest of their type away from a major grid in Australia, and among the first four-hour battery installations in the country.

AGL’s Torrens Island 250MW, one-hour big battery also gets a mention in the SunWiz report, with works on that project kicked off in November of last year.

“With 1GWh more large batteries currently under construction, 2022 is set for another big year,” said SunWiz managing director Warwick Johnston.

“[This] significant growth in non-residential, grid-scale batteries … will help cheap, deliver reliable energy across the country,” he added.

See RenewEconomy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia