Germany’s RWE has signed key contracts for the Limondale eight-hour battery storage undertaking, which is presently below improvement in Australia.
From pv journal Australia
German power utility RWE has reached the ultimate resolution to spend money on the 50 MW/400 MWh Limondale battery power storage system to be constructed alongside the present 249 MW Limondale Solar Farm close to Balranald within the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). .
RWE stated American producer Tesla will present its Megapack batteries for the undertaking, whereas Australia’s Beon Energy Solutions will ship the steadiness of the plant works, together with the civil, structural, electrical and management works required to the battery will likely be linked to the present 33 kV substation. .
Construction of the Limondale battery power storage system is scheduled to start within the second half of this yr, with commissioning of the 400 MWh system deliberate for late 2025.
The closing funding resolution comes after the undertaking final yr received the Long-Term Energy Service Agreement in NSW’s first competitors for provide below its electrical energy infrastructure roadmap.
Katja Wünschel, CEO of RWE Renewables in Australia and Europe, stated the Limondale battery, to be constructed within the proposed South West Renewable Energy Zone, would help NSW’s power transition by storing extra renewable power and feeding it into on the grid when it’s wanted most. .
“With the growth of renewables, we additionally want to extend battery storage capacities,” he stated. “They are keys to a dependable, safe, and sustainable energy provide. Our Limondale undertaking is a superb instance of what this might seem like.”
The Limondale storage system has a 50 MW most output and 400 MWh storage capability, which is able to permit it to ship full energy for eight hours earlier than needing to be recharged.
While the Limondale battery is the primary eight-hour battery to succeed in the ultimate funding stage, there are extra within the pipeline.
Ark Energy plans to construct a 275 MW/2,200 MWh battery undertaking at Myrtle Creek in northern NSW, whereas Lightsource bp will ship a 49 MW/392 MWh Goulburn River battery within the higher Hunter Valley. Both are being developed subsequent to current or proposed photo voltaic farms.
Wünschel stated that along with supporting NSW in its renewable power ambitions, the choice to go forward with the Limondale undertaking marks one other milestone in RWE’s ambition to increase its international battery portfolio to six GW in 2030.
RWE presently operates greater than 700 MW of battery storage methods worldwide and has 1.2 GW of battery storage tasks below development worldwide.
Australia has emerged as one of many firm’s focus markets, with the Essen-headquartered outfit late final yr outlining plans to develop as much as 3 GW of renewable power tasks in Australia by the tip of the last decade.
RWE Chief Executive Markus Krebber stated the corporate would make investments about AUD 6 billion ($3.99 billion) in a significant build-out of photo voltaic, battery storage and wind energy throughout the nation.
“Australia is a really enticing renewable power progress market,” he stated. “RWE has been within the nation for 10 years and we want to increase our renewables enterprise in Australia.”
RWE has signed a memorandum of understanding with Queensland government-owned power firm Stanwell to ship two onshore wind tasks with a mixed capability of as much as 1.8 GW within the state.
In addition, the corporate stated it continues to develop an “spectacular pipeline” of renewable tasks centered on wind, photo voltaic and battery storage throughout the nation.
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