Contract signed for 400 MWh battery next to Australia’s biggest solar project

Acen Australia says it has signed a contract with Marubeni to co-develop a 400 MWh big battery that will be built next to what will be – at least for a time – the biggest solar farm in the country.

The deal between Acen and Marubeni, along with a connection contract with Transgrid subsidiary Lumea, was signed in Melbourne at the Philippine Business Forum held in Melbourne, ahead of the ASEAN conference.

It was presented to the visiting Philippines president Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. Acen is controlled by the Philippines-based Ayala Group.

“Once finished, it will be one of the nation’s largest co-located solar and battery energy storage facilities and enables energy to be stored and made available to the grid when it is needed,” Acen Australia managing director David Pollington said in a statement.

The agreement between Acen and Marubeni commits the parties to work together on the delivery of the 200 MW, two hour (400 MWh) battery . The 50-50 partnership has a projected investment amount of $A250 million with a target completion by 2025.

The companies said the battery has potential for “significant future expansion.” They said the project is being delivered with the support of host landholders, First Nations, and the Uralla community.

“It’s a very big step forward in the transition to renewables and for Australian consumers who will be the beneficiaries of access to cheaper, cleaner energy,” said Brett Redman, the head of Transgrid.

Stage 1 of the New Eengland solar facility (400MW) commenced generating in 2023 and stage 2 will start construction in 2024. The battery is expected to be completed in 2025.