• AGL Energy set to build 50 MW lithium-ion large scale battery storage system at Broken Hill 
  • The $41 million proejct will demonstrate the ability of large batteries to be equipped with grid forming inverters
  • Grid forming inverters offer a promising solution but have not been  demonstrated at utility scale in weak parts of the network

 

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $14.84m in funding to AGL Energy for the construction of a 50 MW/ 50 MWh lithium-ion large scale battery storage system with grid forming capabilities at Broken Hill, NSW.

Energy storage technology provider Fluence and its consortium partner Valmec has been engaged by AGL to supply the batteries for the $41 million project, which will demonstrate the ability of large-scale batteries to be equipped with grid forming inverters to improve system strength.

In an announcement this morning, ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the next step for large scale batteries is to show their capabilities in strengthening the grid as more renewables come online.

“Big batteries are already becoming critical to our electricity system, but we know with grid forming inverters they can provide system strength services traditionally provided by thermal generation,” he said.

“We are particularly interested in seeing how AGL’s Broken Hill battery will utilise and demonstrate advanced inverter technology in a weaker section of the electricity grid.”

 

Battery construction set for completion in 2023

AGL Chief Operating Officer Markus Brokhof said the Broken Hill battery was another step forward as AGL becomes a leading orchestrator of batteries in Australia.

“As Australia moves forward with its energy transition, we know that firming technologies like batteries play an important role in energy storage and supporting the energy supply,” Mr Brokhof said.

“Broken Hill’s unique edge-of-grid environment provides an ideal location for this advanced inverter technology to demonstrate how it can facilitate further penetration of renewable energy generation and add to the stability of the wider electricity network.”

Advanced inverters enable grid scale and grid connected batteries to provide system stability services traditionally provided by synchronous generation, such as coal or gas.

Finding new ways of providing stability to the electricity system will enable the grid to operate with higher shares of variable renewable energy.

AGL’s Broken Hill Battery is set to be completed in 2023.

 

Leigh Creek changes name to NeuRizer

In ASX news, NeuRizer Ltd (ASX:NRZ), formerly Leigh Creek Energy says that following shareholder approval at a general meeting on March 25 the name of the company has changed.

The name change and change of code to “NRZ” on the ASX is in progress with a formal launch of the company’s new direction as NeuRizer to take place on March 31.