First batteries installed as Liddell’s shuttered coal plant morphs into green energy hub

AGL Energy says the first battery units have been installed for the 500 MW, two hour Liddell battery, which is being built at the site of the shuttered coal plant in the first stage of its transformation into a green energy hub.

The 500 MW, 1,000 MWh battery – being built by US-based Fluence – is the third and biggest battery to be built by AGL to date, following the 250 MW, 250 MWh Torrens Island battery in South Australia, and the 50 MW, 50 MWh battery at Broken Hill.

Liddell is the third coal generation site to be transformed into a battery storage hub, with the 850 MW, 1680 Waratah Super Battery currently going through commissioning at the site of the shuttered Munmorah coal plant, and the 700 MW, 2,800 MWh Eraring battery being built next to the country’s biggest coal generator.

Other current and former coal hubs are also destined to host big batteries, including at the site the now shuttered Wallerawang plant near Lithgow, and nearby at the still operating Mt Piper coal fired power generator.

Coal hubs are a favoured site of big batteries, because of the established infrastructure – power lines and substations – and batteries are being built at Collie, Hazelwood, Kogan Creek, Stanwell, Tarong and Swanbank, among others.

The federal Coalition has identified Liddell as one of the seven sites earmarked for its nuclear plans – which may come to nothing given the latest federal election polls. But AGL has other plans and wants to turn Liddell into a green energy hub, with solar, solar thermal, battery storage, and green industries.

AGL says the Liddell battery will host 1,548 batteries, each weighing more than 8 tonnes. The installation works will be completed later this year, with the battery in full operation in early 2026.

AGL says the battery will provide essential storage and firming capacity to the grid. Like the Eraring battery, which has already morphed from a two battery project into a four hour battery project, the Liddell battery has the capability of adding more storage.

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

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