Australia is navigating its transition to renewable energy, with one ambitious project poised to help redefine the nation’s power landscape — the Eraring BESS.
The Eraring battery energy storage system (BESS) project is strategically situated at the existing Eraring Power Station in New South Wales (NSW). This transformative initiative is not only set to reshape the energy grid, but also to play a central role in driving a sustainable energy future.
Once completed, the Eraring BESS will stand as one of the largest battery storage facilities in the Southern Hemisphere, with a jaw-dropping total capacity of 700 megawatts (MW) and 2800 megawatt-hours (MWh).
Its scale alone marks it as a global leader, but the project’s true significance lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate renewable energy sources into Australia’s electrical grid.
The project’s strategic location leverages the existing transmission and grid infrastructure of the Eraring Power Station.
This approach minimises the need for additional construction, optimises resource utilisation, and reduces the project’s environmental footprint, making it a model for sustainable energy development.
The first stage of the project is already under construction, with a 460MW capacity slated to come online by the end of 2025.
This stage will have a dispatch duration of two hours, but the project’s ambitions go far beyond this initial phase.
In July 2024, Origin Energy, the driving force behind the Eraring BESS, announced a significant $450 million investment to expand the project.
The second stage, set for construction in early 2025 and expected to begin operation in early 2027, will add a 240MW/1030MWh grid-forming battery with a four-hour duration in total.
This expansion will increase the overall energy storage capacity, enhancing grid stability and enabling greater integration of variable renewable energy sources.
Greg Jarvis, Origin’s Head of Energy Supply and Operations, highlighted the importance of this investment.
“We are pleased to have approved Origin’s third investment in a large-scale battery at one of our existing power stations, which reflects our belief that storage will play an important role in the changing grid by helping to firm up variable supply from wind and solar,” he said.
“Eraring is a strategic site with high quality connection infrastructure. Confirmation of the second stage of the Eraring battery development is a key next step as we look to transform the site for the future so it can continue to support the energy transition.”
Origin’s vision doesn’t end there.
In November 2024, the company secured approval for a third stage of development, further increasing the dispatch duration to four hours, a groundbreaking achievement for a 700MW battery.
Once all three stages are completed, the Eraring BESS will boast a total capacity of 700MW/2800MWh, making it one of the most impressive energy storage systems in the world.
The scale of the project is staggering.
According to Jarvis, the site spans more than 17 hectares, equivalent to 24 soccer fields, and once complete, will house over 2000 individual battery enclosures and some 180km of cabling.
At 2800MWh, the Eraring battery will provide enough energy, cycled once per day, to power more than 150,000 NSW households annually – an essential contribution to stabilising supply from renewable sources.
According to Origin, it is prioritising the transformation of the Eraring BESS site to ensure its continued relevance in supporting Australia’s electricity grid during the nation-wide energy transition.
“The global scale of this battery storage project, and the remarkable work our skilled teams and contractors are undertaking, is something the region can be incredibly proud of,” Jarvis said.
Approximately 125 direct jobs will be created during the construction phase of the Eraring BESS.
In addition, the project is expected to generate indirect economic benefits for local businesses supporting construction activities and contracts.
These include workforce accommodation, meal supply, lifestyle services, local transport, equipment hire, and material supply, further boosting the regional economy and community.
Looking ahead, the battery is projected to retain 60 per cent of its capacity after 20 years of operation.
Origin Energy has outlined how it is proactively collaborating with suppliers to explore and optimise end-of-life solutions.
These efforts include repurposing or recycling battery components and recovering rare earth metals from each battery cell.
As a result, this ensures the project aligns with sustainable practices throughout its lifecycle.
This article featured in the Feburary edition of ecogeneration.
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