It is the first Neoen asset to connect into South-West Interconnected System (SWIS) and, in collaboration with Tesla, UGL, and network service provider Western Power, it was delivered ahead of schedule.

On 1 October, Collie Battery Stage 1 began delivering its 197 MW / 4 hour grid capacity service to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The contract, called Non-Co-optimised Essential System Services (NCESS) runs for a period of two years. The battery provides 197 MW of storage capacity for 4 hours, charging during the day and then discharging across the evening peak. This service is designed to address the risks AEMO identified relating to the phased retirement of WA Government owned coal-fired power plants and increasingly high penetration of rooftop solar in Western Australia.

The battery is Neoen’s first major project in WA and its first 4-hour long duration battery globally. Collie Battery Stage 2 (341 MW / 1363 MWh), which is currently under construction, was awarded a similar 300 MW / 4 hour NCESS contract by AEMO in April 2024. Altogether, the Collie Battery (560 MW / 2240 MWh) will have the ability to charge and discharge 20% of average demand in the SWIS. It illustrates Neoen’s strategy of deepening its investment in storage through extended duration, enabling it to unlock greater value. Long duration storage is increasingly needed as electricity networks transition to higher penetrations of renewable energy.

Neoen is one of Australia’s leading developer, owner and operator of batteries and its storage portfolio in operation or under construction in the country currently sits at 1925 MW / 4709 MWh. This includes the 300 MW / 450 MWh Victorian Big Battery in Geelong and the flagship 150 MW / 193.5 MWh Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia, both in operation, as well as several batteries currently under construction: 238.5 MW / 477 MWh Blyth Battery in South Australia, two stages of Western Downs Battery in Queensland (both sized at 270 MW / 540 MWh) and the 100 MW / 200 MWh Capital Battery in the Australian Capital Territory.

Jean-Christophe Cheylus, Neoen Australia’s CEO, said: “We are extremely proud to have delivered the largest battery in Western Australia in record time. I would like to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this happen: Western Power, Tesla and UGL as well as AEMO and the Western Australian Government. We are delighted to be contributing a storage project of this scale and duration. With over 2 GW of projects in our pipeline in WA, we are committed to continuing to play our part in the State’s energy transition.”

Reece Whitby MLA, Western Australia’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Action, added: “The WA Government is clear that our State’s energy future will be powered by a mix of rooftop solar, onshore wind, and large-scale battery storage, backed by gas. This battery will support household investment in rooftop solar by soaking up excess energy produced during the day and making it available in the evening when it’s most needed. It’s the exact sort of development that the Cook Government is supporting, as we get on with the job of retiring State-owned coal-fired power by 2030, embracing WA’s clean energy future, and ensuring Collie continues to be at the heart of our State’s south-west energy supply.”

Sam Barbaro, Western Power’s CEO, commented: “The Western Power network is playing a key role in enabling industry and the community to reach their decarbonisation goals and expediting the transition to a sustainable energy system. The Collie Battery Stage 1 project is a terrific example of this, involving excellent collaboration and innovation between Western Power and Neoen, resulting in an outstanding outcome for the community and the WA energy market. Connecting energy solutions that support the harnessing of the abundance of renewable energy resources WA has to offer is critical to unlocking a cleaner energy future.”

Xavier Barbaro, Neoen’s Chairman and CEO, concluded: “I would like to congratulate the Neoen team on this great achievement: the delivery of Collie Battery Stage 1, ahead of schedule, is a major step for Neoen, demonstrating the speed with which we can develop and deploy solutions into new regions. We are proud to be shaping the grid of the future, for the benefit of industry and consumers across Australia and around the globe.”

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global’s Autumn 2024 issue

Dive into the latest renewable energy insights in the Autumn issue of Energy Global, out now! The issue starts with an insightful guest comment from Cristiano Spillati, Managing Director at Limes Renewable Energy where he discusses the need for European renewable energy suppliers to accelerate the rate of the energy transition. This is followed by a regional report from Cornwall Insights on the battery energy storage industry in Australia. This issue explores key topics including offshore wind subsea cables, offshore wind support vessels, digitalisation, wind turbine components, and more!

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/energy-storage/29102024/collie-battery-stage-1-begins-operation/