100 MW battery to expand renewable use in Australia

A 100 MW Lithium-iron battery is to installed in South Australia by the end of 2017. Under an agreement with the South Australian Government, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Tesla, and the French renewable energy group Neoen, the battery, three times more powerful than any other system in the world, will be designed to provide power to the grid at times of generation shortfall, as well as providing stability to the network, day and night.

Aurecon is the Specialist and Technical Engineering Advisor to the Government of South Australia for the implementation of its Energy Plan. The company is providing advice across the entire programme, including the 100 MW battery, emergency gas generator and power supply contracts.

Aurecon also supported the Government to engage with various stakeholders, including the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and South Australian transmission and distribution network service providers, in order to identify and advise on grid connection and registration matters.

Aurecon has designed Australia’s first large-scale solar power project connected to the south-eastern grid (Royalla solar photovoltaic plant), and designed one of the largest solar farms in Australia (Bungala Solar Photovoltaic).

In addition, Aurecon is the engineering partner for Territory Generation’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for Alice Springs, which was recently given the green light by the Northern Territory Government. BESS will provide 5 MW battery energy storage.

The success of the solar power projects has led to a range of other appointments in the clean energy sector, including Moree Solar Project, Barcaldine Solar Farm, Sun Metals Solar Farm, Capital and Woodlawn Wind Farms.