Australia’s utility-scale battery rollout has progressed with two major projects energised on the National Electricity Market within days of each other.
In Victoria, AusNet has successfully energised the Pine Lodge Terminal Station, enabling the connection of Valent Energy’s 250 megawatt (MW), two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) to the Victorian Transmission Network.
AusNet said the project was delivered with a strong focus on safety, efficiency and collaboration, and was completed ahead of schedule and within budget.
Located near Shepparton in Victoria’s north, the Pine Lodge BESS will play a critical role in strengthening grid reliability and supporting the integration of renewable generation across the state. At 250 MW, the project ranks among the larger batteries connecting to the Victorian grid and reflects the growing importance of storage as coal-fired generation retires.
The project is owned by Valent Energy, which combines the resources of Hong Kong-based Gaw Capital and European energy storage developer BW Group. Valent Energy is chaired by Oliver Yates, former chief executive of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and has flagged plans to invest at least $2 billion in rolling out a portfolio of large-scale batteries and a solar photovoltaic project in coming years.
The Victorian milestone follows closely on the energisation of another major battery project in South Australia. Recently, Pacific Blue announced that its Clements Gap battery (located adjacent to the Clements Gap Wind Farm) had been energised, allowing the project to move into commissioning and preparation for full output.
The Clements Gap battery features Trina Storage technology totalling 60MW of capacity and 120 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage, and is scheduled for completion in early 2026. The project was a successful proponent in the first auction under the federal government’s Capacity Investment Scheme.
