Work on a series of large battery energy storage systems across New South Wales is progressing, with one of the projects located at Bowmans Creek in the Upper Hunter.
The Bowmans Creek Battery Energy Storage System, proposed by Ark Energy, is planned to store 2,414 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity. Once built, the facility will form part of a group of long-duration storage projects intended to store renewable electricity generated from solar and wind and release it when demand is higher.
Across the state, six projects of this type are expected to collectively store enough electricity to supply about one third of Sydney’s households for a full day.
The NSW Government announced the projects last month as part of its renewable energy rollout.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said the batteries are intended to expand storage capacity as more renewable generation enters the system.
“These six big batteries mean we’re on track to smash our storage targets, harvesting the sun and the wind, so we can power NSW around the clock and put downward pressure on prices.”
Storage supporting renewable generation
Large batteries allow electricity produced during periods of strong renewable generation to be stored and then released later when electricity demand increases.
The Bowmans Creek project is one of several developments proposed across regional NSW that together will provide almost 12 gigawatt hours of storage capacity.
Other projects underway include:
• Great Western Battery, Wallerawang near Lithgow — 3,500 MWh (Neoen Australia)
• Bannaby Battery Energy Storage System, Southern Tablelands — 2,676 MWh (BW ESS)
• Armidale East Battery Energy Storage System — 1,440 MWh (FRV Services Australia)
• Kingswood Battery Energy Storage System, near Tamworth — 1,080 MWh (Iberdrola Australia)
• Ebor Battery Energy Storage System, near Armidale — 870 MWh (Bridge Energy)
All projects remain subject to the relevant planning approvals and are expected to be completed by 2030.
Part of a larger pipeline
The NSW Government says the projects are part of a wider battery development pipeline across the state. More than 200 battery projects are either under construction or moving through planning processes.
The contracts for the six long-duration batteries were awarded through a tender process run by ASL, the independent Consumer Trustee responsible for delivering elements of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.
According to the government, this tender represented the largest procurement of long-duration energy storage undertaken in the state so far.
