Sydney, Australia: In a move that will help support and secure the future of renewable generation in South West NSW, an innovative new battery project is being developed by Edify.
Located in the Murrumbidgee Shire, the Riverina Energy Storage System (RESS) is to be a 100MW / 200MWh lithium-ion battery that will connect into TransGrid’s network at the Darlington Point Substation. RESS will serve to add more flexible dispatchable capacity to the NSW market and will complement the significant presence of renewable generation in the region.
Building on Edify’s success in developing, contracting and financing the Gannawarra Energy Storage System, RESS is being developed to meet the requirements of Shell Energy and the NSW Government, with Shell Energy signing a long-term services agreement to access operational rights to a 60MW / 120MWh partition of the battery. This agreement is a key component of Shell Energy’s success in securing a long-term retail contract with the NSW Government as part of its Whole of Government process.
Edify Chief Executive, John Cole, notes that “the advantages of large-scale batteries in support of energy firming in our brave new world of renewables is well documented and supported. Energy storage is fast becoming a valued capacity solution for the National Electricity Market, given its fast and precise response. The uncertainties in this growing technology class are reducing and with it the barriers to acceptance from market and network participants. We are proud to be leading the advancement of batteries to shore up the renewable energy market and to increase the availability of clean, green, low-cost, dispatchable electricity. We are pleased to have reached this milestone with Shell Energy and the NSW Government and look forward to continuing to work with them as we deliver RESS into commercial operation.”
Critical to achieving Australia’s carbon emission reduction targets is the ability to rapidly increase the supply of renewable and secure energy available to government, businesses and consumers. The delivery of this project highlights Edify’s capabilities to work with government and industry to provide innovative solutions to our complex energy challenges.
Commenting on the project, Shell Energy CEO Greg Joiner says “Shell Energy recognises that batteries have an important role to play in transitioning to and managing risk in a lower carbon energy future. This long-term services agreement is a model for how large energy users can access dispatchable power like battery storage, which complements renewables, while contributing to a cleaner and more resilient power system. Shell Energy was pleased to select Edify as its battery energy storage partner in this collaborative approach to meeting the NSW Government’s need for an innovative power solution.”
To read more about Riverina Energy Storage head to the project page
Riverina Energy Storage System Artist Impression can be downloaded here.
Download the full press release as a PDF below
