West Australian households and businesses will soon have access to more clean, renewable energy, with four big batteries set to come online by October 2027.
These projects, including the Boddington Giga Battery, Merredin Big Battery, Muchea Battery, and Waroona Renewable Energy Project, are part of the state’s first tender under the Capacity Investment Scheme.
The Federal Government announced that these projects will deliver an additional 654MW of capacity to the Western Australian grid, capable of storing nearly 2600 megawatt-hours of energy.
According to the Federal Government, these batteries will be charged with renewable energy during the day and discharge it during peak demand hours in the evening, powering more than 600,000 households for up to four hours.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, highlighted the success of the initiative.
“The Government’s plan is working—renewable investment into our energy grid is at record levels. Now we’re seeing investors and developers outcompeting each other for the chance to deliver even more of the cheapest form of energy for Western Australia this decade,” Bowen said.
The four battery projects will also have a significant economic impact, with proponents committing to $145 million in community benefits, including $41.5 million for First Nations groups. Local content spending is expected to exceed $712 million, with $63.5 million dedicated to local employment, training, and apprenticeships.
As part of this initiative, Western Australia’s Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) has already seen a significant increase in renewable energy, with a record peak of over 84 per cent last year.
The next tender for generation and storage in Western Australia is scheduled for mid-2025, with consultations now open for feedback on the tender design.
For more renewable and solar news, subscribe to ecogeneration.