New 300MWh battery in South Australia applies for generation licence

The proposed 150MW / 300MWh battery at Bungama in South Australia has moved another step forward, with its electricity generation licence application now in front of the state’s Essential Service Commission.

The application to ESCOSA will be up for public consultation until October 16, and the battery is expected to be energised in early 2025.

Developer Amp Energy signed a connection agreement earlier in September with transmission company ElectraNet for the two hour duration battery, to connect to its 275kV Bungama substation.

It says the Bungama project will be the first of Amp’s national roll-out of more than 1 GW of grid-scale batteries.

The $200 million battery will make money from arbitraging energy prices and work in the frequency control and ancillary services (FCAS) markets.

“The grid-scale battery will support South Australia’s energy transition, providing essential capacity when renewable generation is impacted and during periods of high demand,” Amp Energy says in its application. 

“With South Australia generating more power from renewable sources than any other state, this battery will further reinforce a reliable energy supply for households and businesses.

“The provision of battery services in the South Australian and the National Electricity Market will enhance the quality and reliability of the energy supply system.

Battery energy storage systems are increasingly playing a critical role in counter-balancing the higher penetration of intermittent energy resources.

“The intermittent nature of the wind and solar energy sources puts pressure on the energy system’s ability to manage any deficit or excess in the supply and demand of wholesale energy.

“Battery is additionally effective in enhancing the decreasing system inertia due to the higher level of renewable resources and the expected de-commissioning of traditional thermal and coal generation plants.”

Going big in big batteries

The battery is Amp’s first instalment of a $2 billion investment in its Renewable Energy Hub of South Australia, an area covering Bungama, near Port Pirie, Robertstown and Whyalla which will soon host a series of storage and solar projects. 

Amp, which is backed by private investment firm Carlyle, is developing three projects in the hub, all of which come with an adjacent solar farm. 

The Bungama battery comes with a proposed 336 MW solar farm.

Amp’s Robertstown development includes a 636 MW solar proposal and 250 MWh battery, and the Yorndoo Ilga development has a 388 MW solar proposal and a 150 MWh battery.

The company currently owns an operational portfolio of 158 MW, the NSW Hillston and Molong solar farms, and a development portfolio of more than 5 GW.

South Australia is a magnet for big batteries, with the original now-150 MW / 194 MWh Hornsdale Power Reserve just the first of a raft of installations. 

The state now boasts the Torrens Island, Dalrymple South and Lake Bonney batteries, while the Tailem Bend battery is awaiting commissioning and the 200 MW / 400 MWh Blyth battery is now under-construction. 

Many others are in the pipeline.

See RenewEconomy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia