Two new big batteries in South Australia sign connection deals, including first for Zen Energy

Two new big battery projects in South Australia have obtained transmission connection agreements with the ElectraNet, the company that owns the transmission network in the state.

The deals have been signed with Amp Energy for 150 MW, two hour (300 MWh) Bungama Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) near Port Pirie, and with Zen Energy’s 111MW / 270MWh Templers battery project north of Adelaide.

Amp’s 150MW / 300MWhr battery is the first phase in what will be a $2 billion portfolio of large scale solar and battery projects spread across South Australia. The Bungama battery, which has also lodged its application for a generation licence, is expected to be complete in 2025.

The Templers project will be Zen Energy’s first large scale battery . As part of the deal, ElecraNet will build, own, operate and maintain the 132 kV cable for the project.

Construction is expected to start soon ahead of the planned energisation before the end of 2024.

ZEN Energy’s Technical Manager, Dan Manderson, said, “The Templers Battery Project will be ZEN’s first utility-scale project to connect to the National Energy Market.” 

“Increasing battery storage capacity in the grid is a key component of Zen’s mission to lead communities into the zero-carbon world,” said Zen Energy’s technical manager, Dan Manderson.

Zen Energy bought the project from Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) and intends to provide dispatchable, fast-response generation and load into the SA market. The project is located on the lands of the Ngadjuri people.

ElectraNet’s connections manager Niketan Tyagi said grid-scale batteries will play a critical role in the energy transition as the state approaches 100 per cent renewables and beyond – it is already at more than 70 per cent wind and solar and earlier this week reached an instantaneous peak of 101 per cent from rooftop solar alone.

The state has a number of operating big batteries, including at Hornsdale, lake Bonney, Torrens Island and Dalrymple, and two others that are connected but not commissioned, including Tailem Bend and Lincoln Gap.

Another big battery project – 200MW and 400MWh – is being built at Blyth by Neoen, and many others are in the pipeline.

See RenewEconomy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia