The Australian Capital Territory government has firmed its commitment to deliver one of the largest battery storage systems in the Southern Hemisphere to support Canberra’s energy grid and the continued uptake of renewables with funding allocated in the upcoming budget to progress the Big Canberra Battery project.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced on Monday that further funding has been allocated in the 2022-23 Budget to advance the Big Canberra Battery project with $100 million already dedicated to providing at least 250 MW of large-scale battery energy storage. Barr said the battery project would help “future proof” the territory’s energy supply by reducing the load on Canberra’s electricity network and increasing network reliability. The project is also expected to facilitate the increased installation of rooftop and commercial solar PV across the ACT, allowing more households to enjoy the financial benefits of solar power.
“After delivering 100% renewable electricity, battery storage if the next step to protect the ACT when fossil fuel generators fail during hot summers,” Barr said. “ACT Labor recognises that low-cost energy storage is the missing link in the transition to a 100% renewable National Electricity Market.” The battery project is to be delivered in three streams. Stream one will deliver 250 MW of grid-connected battery storage to support the electricity network. Stream two will initially seek to deliver batteries, up to 1 MW, at 14 government sites to help reduce power used in government buildings and reduce the strain on the distribution network. Stream three will see the deployment of a still to be specified number of medium-sized neighbourhood batteries at sites around the city. Barr said the battery ecosystem could potentially power over one-third of the ACT.
Source: This news is originally published by pv-magazine-australia