A utility scale battery being built next to Australia’s biggest solar project is nearing completion, and is already running at near full capacity at times as it puts the finishing touches to final grid approvals.
The 200 megawatt (MW), 400 megawatt hour (MWh) New England battery is being built next to the New England solar farm, which has already completed its first 400 MW stage and is developing its second 320 MW stage, which will make it the biggest in the country – at least for a while.
Acen Renewables, the Philippines-based project owne of the New England projects, said in its second quarter earnings report released earlier this month that the battery is expected to reach full “operationalisation” by the end of the year.
The project builder, the US-based Energy Vault, gave more details in its own earnings report last week, saying it has nearly completed its R2 assessment, which is the post-commissioning model validation and testing stage for new power generators or large loads connecting to the power grid.
“So we’re finalising now the turnover and what’s called in Australia the R2, meaning the R2 is the milestone where you’ve actually gotten the grid sign off formally,” Energy Vault CEO Robert Piconi told analysts.
