Construction starts on Australia’s biggest battery, to replace Collie coal

Construction is underway on will be Australia’s biggest battery project; the giant four-hour Collie battery energy storage system being built by Synergy to soak up Western Australia solar during the day and replace coal in the evening peak.

The battery, which will have a 500 MW/2000 MWh capacity, got its final approvals in December, last year, for development next to the Collie Power station in WA’s south-west.

It will be the biggest in the country once complete, although it may also be rapidly overtaken by other big battery proposals, including Ark Energy’s 2,200 MWh Richmond Valley battery in NSW, which will be the world’s biggest eight-hour battery.

Synergy says local earthworks and rehabilitation specialists Cardinal Contractors has been contracted to complete site preparation earthworks for the battery, with up to 500 jobs likely to be created at the peak of construction.

The Collie BESS is being funded by the state government as part of the state’s accelerated transition to renewables, driven by the huge opportunities on offer from switch to green energy – for industry, mines and consumers – and by the urgent need to replace aging coal generators.

Synergy said on Friday that the newly started project is expected to be completed in 2025, and the state-owned utility has flagged plans to double its size in the future to 1,000 MW and 4,000 MWh.

“Synergy’s ground-breaking project is significant for the Collie community and will help local workers and families as Synergy seeks to exit coal-fired power by 2030,” said state energy minister Reece Whitby in a statement on Friday.

“When complete, this battery will support reliability and more renewable energy on WA’s main electricity grid.”

The Collie BESS is Synergy’s third big battery, with work already completed on the first-stage 100MW, two-hour battery at Kwinana and started on the second stage of that facility, which will be sized at 200 MW and four hours (800 MWh).

Alinta is also building a 100 MW, two hour battery at Wagerup, while Neoen is building a 219 MW/867 MWh battery at Collie, not far from the Synergy battery. Neoen also has a permit to expand that facility.

All are designed to soak up excess solar in the middle of the day and store it for the evening peak. Some of the batteries have already secured contracts to ensure the capacity is available, and tenders have been rolled out for another round of contracts.

The urgency is accelerating. A report prepared by EY to advise the market operator on its new 10-year demand and supply forecast – reportedly suggests that the state’s largest private coal plant, Bluewater, could close as early as 2026.

The state government intends to close the last of its state owned coal generators at Collie before the end of the decade.

The local member for Collie/Preston, MLA Jodie Hanns, said on Friday that construction of Australia’s biggest battery in the WA coal region marked a significant point in the energy transition.

“Collie has been at the heart of WA’s energy system for decades and will continue to play an important role in the future,” Hanns said.

“I’m delighted that a local business has been selected to be part of this project, creating local jobs as part of the ongoing support for our community by the Cook Labor government.”