Second stage of Sunshine state’s biggest battery completed ahead of schedule

The second stage of the biggest big battery in the state – the the largest storage of any kind with grid forming inverter – has been completed ahead of schedule and is ready to begin the commissioning process.

Neoen Australia announced on Friday that the second 270 megawatt (MW), 540 megawatt hour (MWh) stage of the Western Downs Green Power Hub has been completed and has started the “energisation” process – six weeks head of schedule.

The completion of the second stage means that the Western Downs battery – located next to the biggest solar farm in the state (400 MW) – is now sized at 540 MW and 1040 MWh, overtaking the Tarong battery as the biggest in the state.

Neoen also says Western Downs is now the large storage asset with grid forming capabilities to be registered in Queensland’s main grid. Grid-forming capabilities allow the battery to deliver the same grid services – such as inertia and system strength – as traditional synchronous generators.

You can read more about that here: Tesla says battery inverters can do the job of spinning machines at a fraction of the cost.

The battery was built with Tesla Megapack technology. In fact the Megapacks delivered to Western Downs were the first to be produced at Tesla’s new megafactory in Shanghai.

Neoen said the ability to deliver the project and achieve registration ahead of schedule spoke to the “collective deep expertise” of Tesla, the EPC contractor UGL, transmission company Powerlink and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Neoen, now owned by Brookfield, also owns the biggest battery in South Australia (Blyth at 237 MW, 274 MWh). The Victoria Big Battery it built in Victoria (300 MW, 450 MWh), remains the biggest in that stage – for now – although it is now owned by HMC Capital.

See Renew Economy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia