Plan unveiled to build 27 small battery storage projects across southern states

Two Australian clean energy developers and investors have announced plans to build a portfolio of 27 small battery storage projects across three Australian states that will total arounds 270 MWh.

The Adelaide headquartered Sustainable Energy Infrastructure (SEI) and clean energy developer Acenergy (ACE) will build seven 5MW/10MWh batteries located across regional Victoria in the first phase of the build.

The second phase would consist of a further 20 battery storage projects with a combined capacity of 100MW/200MWh located across South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. That will take the total plan to 135 MW and 270 MWh.

The two firms have hired Victorian solar PV and battery contracting firm ACLE Services to deliver, operate and maintain the projects, and commercial operations for the first seven projects are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2025.

SEI is managed by global real assets investment manager Patrizia, and specialises in the development of “distributed” energy infrastructure, which has less onerous connection requirements than larger scale facilities.

In 2021, it struck a deal with Yates Electrical Services Group (YES Group) to develop, own, operate, maintain and manage a portfolio of 13 solar farms across regional Australia, with a total capacity of 56.5 MW.

Seven of the thirteen sites have been completed, at Renmark, Bowmans, Port Wakefield, Padthaway and Woods Point in South Australia, and at Mulwala and Armidale in NSW.

Four of those solar farms were due to have adjoining battery storage installations, with a total storage capacity o17.925MWh.