<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/this-australian-utility-will-soon-be-the-first-to-have-more-big-battery-capacity-than-coal/>
"The Western Australia government owned energy utility Synergy is poised to
become the first traditional generation company to boast more big battery
capacity than coal, highlighting the rapid changes that are taking place in
Australia’s main electricity grids.
Synergy this week confirmed that one of the country’s biggest battery storage
projects – its 500 megawatt (MW) and 2,000 megawatt hour (MWh) Collie battery –
is in the final stages of commissioning and is expected to be fully operational
by the end of the year.
It will be the second biggest battery in terms of storage in the country,
behind only the newly commissioned 560 MW, 2,240 MWh Collie battery owned by
Neoen Australia, that is located in the same town.
The significance of the Synergy Collie battery is that it will take the
company’s total big battery capacity to more than 800 MW (and nearly 3,200 MWh)
– more than the 740 MW of coal fired power capacity that remains at its ageing
Muja and Collie coal-fired power stations, also in the same town, that are due
to shut by the end of the decade.
No other traditional generator in Australia comes close to the scale and speed
of this transition. In the eastern states, AGL Energy, EnergyAustralia, Alinta
and Origin are all investing in or contracting major battery projects, but are
perhaps a decade away from closing the last of their coal plants.
Origin is likely the first to follow Synergy’s example, should it close the
country’s biggest coal generator at Eraring (2.8 GW) as currently advised in
August, 2027. It is currently building what will be the biggest battery – 700
MW and 2,800 MWh – at that same site."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
