Ballarat Energy Storage System (BESS)
- $2.26m Funded by ARENA
- $42.66m Total project cost
Summary
$25 million will be provided to a consortia led by Spotless Sustainability Services to build Ballarat Energy Storage System (BESS) – a 30 megawatt (MW) / 30 megawatt-hour (MWh) large-scale, grid-connected battery located at the Ballarat electricity station (Ballarat Area Terminal Station (BATS).
It is being developed by NuvoGroup (owned by Spotless). Fluence (a AES-Siemens joint venture) is the battery provider, AusNet Services is providing the equity, EnergyAustralia is the long-term offtaker, and ARENA and the Victorian Government are providers of grant funding.
How the project works
The Ballarat Energy Storage System (BESS) led by Spotless, Nuvo Group, AusNet Services will store energy at times of relatively low value. The battery will use stored energy and use it at times of relatively high value. The project will also examine providing other grid services such as frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) and, should it be established under the electricity market rules, a Fast Frequency Response (FFR).
This project consists of:
Learn more
Report: Ballarat Energy Storage System
The purpose of this report is to share the learnings from the first twelve months of operation of the Ballarat System.
Report: Ballarat BESS: Knowledge Sharing Report
This report has been prepared to provide information with regards to the installation and commissioning of a utility scale, transmission asset connected, Battery Energy Storage System.
Report: Large-Scale Battery Storage Knowledge Sharing Report
This report summarises the key lessons and innovation opportunities for Large-Scale Battery Storage (LSBS) projects in Australia.
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Image: BESS Battery Site
Arial view of the BESS battery site.
Area of innovation
The Ballarat Energy Storage System project will help storage become a trusted system solution, which in turn will influence both regulatory and market responses to system security issues around increasing intermittent renewable penetration. This could help prevent other response measures or long term policy/investment decisions which would otherwise curtail renewable energy investment. Through knowledge sharing, this project will demonstrate the value of battery services and assist to bridge the current gap to commercial viability, allowing other similar battery storage projects to progress without subsidy.
Benefit
The Ballarat Energy Storage System project will demonstrate how batteries can help provide grid stability and support on a congested transmission terminal, at a critical location, reducing the need to expand the substation. The battery will be capable of powering 20,000 homes for an hour.
Note
ARENA and the Victorian Government will jointly provide $25 million in funding for both this project and the Gannawarra Energy Storage System (GESS).
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