Neoen to double size of Queensland battery to 2,300 MWh, its biggest in Australia

French renewable energy developer Neoen – the most successful developer of battery storage projects in Australia – has announced plans to more than double the size of its Western Downs battery to make it the biggest it has built so far in the country.

Neoen, which built the country’s first big battery at Hornsdale in South Australia in 2017, has just completed the second stage of the Western Downs battery, doubling its size to 540 megawatts (MW) and 1080 megawatt hours (MWh).

Now it has announced plans to double size of the battery again, adding another 305 MW and 1,220 MWh to take its total size to 845 MW and 2,300 MWh.

That will make it bigger than its recently completed Collie battery in Western Australia, which at 560 MW and 2,240 MWh is currently the biggest operating battery in the country – although Collie may also be expanded with planning approvals allowing for up to 4,000 MWh.

By the time the Western Downs extension is completed in two years time, other big batteries such as the Supernode battery in Queensland and the Eraring battery in NSW will have overtaken it in size.

See: Australia’s 10 biggest battery storage projects – and what they are paid to do

Neoen said on Wednesday that the stage 2 battery component at Western Downs, sized at 270 MW and 540 MWh, had been completed ahead of schedule and less than six months after the similar-sized first stage was completed in the middle of the year.

That component has virtual battery contracts with AGL Energy and Shell Energy, which will allow the clients to hedge their own or their customer’s loads.

Neoen has also signed two additional virtual battery agreements with the local subsidiary of French electric utility Engie. The first contract for 25 MW/50 MWh will be supported by Western Downs Battery Stage 2, while the second contract for 50 MW/200 MWh, or four hours, will be backed by the third battery stage.

The third stage will be built by UGL and will consist of 312 Tesla Megapack 2XL units equipped with grid-forming capabilities, and will be complete in 2027/28. Western Downs is already the biggest battery with grid forming inverters in the country.

“The launch of this new 4-hour battery at Western Downs further highlights Neoen’s innovation and leadership in big batteries and takes us past 2 GW of storage capacity in Australia,” said Jean-Christophe Cheylus, Neoen Australia’s CEO.

Indeed, the expansion means that Neoen can comfortably reclaim top spot in the battery development stakes from Akaysha Energy, with some 6.4 GWh of storage capacity. Akaysha has just over 6 GWh, but most of its capacity is still in construction or commissioning, with its biggest project Waratah delayed by transformer failures.

Jules Dufournier, Engie Australia’s head of energy management & B2B, said it was the company’s second and third virtual battery agreements with Neoen.

“This agreement complements our existing battery portfolio, enabling us to offer shaped products and tailored solutions that meet our clients’ specific needs,” he said in a statement.

“By combining market innovation with flexibility, ENGIE continues to help customers achieve their sustainability goals while navigating Australia’s dynamic energy landscape.”

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

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