The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)’s programs provide funding up to $100 million for large-scale battery energy storage projects, with 70MW or larger in capacity. They’ll provide support for both new builds and retrofits of inverter capability.
By funding advanced inverter technology at scale, ARENA hopes to provide valuable insights into the operations and emerging capabilities of these important devices. Battery-equipped projects are eligible for up to $35 million per project.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is backing up funding to new battery energy storage projects in Australia.
Advanced inverters are a key technology to enable new ways of providing stability services in the electricity system. With these innovations, grid-scale batteries can provide crucial functions that were traditionally done by synchronous generation such as coal or gas plants.
Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA said that funding from this round will be used to support grid-scale batteries which can provide system stability during periods when renewable generation becomes very high.
Imagine a world where system stability is no longer an issue. With advanced inverters, that might not be too far off. ARENA funding will help drive the uptake of this technology and provide valuable lessons that other companies may find useful.
The future of energy storage on our grids is coming sooner than we think. Australia has funded six grid-scale batteries since 2017, with ARENA’s Energy Storage for Commercial Renewable Integration (ESCRI) project currently being implemented in South Australia. This state will soon have its largest battery system after Hornsdale Power Reserve upgrades its inverter technology.
Expressions of interest are currently open, with a due date set for March 31st, 2022. Projects will be selected later in the year and invited to submit full applications then as well.
(Source: https://www.insideconstruction.com.au/section/projects/100m-funding-for-new-major-battery-projects/)