ACT Government Approves Williamsdale Battery Energy Storage System

The ACT government has reached another milestone in its effort to future proof Canberra’s energy supply by submitting the development application for a big grid connected battery. The 250 MW/ 500 MWh Williamsdale Battery Energy Storage System will store renewable energy and support network reliability.

The ACT will also install three medium sized neighbourhood-scale batteries in the suburbs of Casey, Dickson and Fadden thanks to a $1.5 million Federal Government grant.

What is a battery?

A battery accepts chemical energy and converts it to electricity by an electrochemical oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction. Batteries power many electronic devices, from remote controls to car engines.

Inside a cylinder-shaped battery are one or more electrochemical cells. Each cell has two electrical terminals — a positive end (cathode) and a negative end (anode) — separated by a chemical material called an electrolyte. When the negative and positive ends are connected by a wire, electrons flow through the circuit and the battery provides electricity.

In the simplest form, batteries consist of half-cells with different metals and conductive liquid or paste electrolyte solutions. Inside each half-cell is a negative electrode to which cations (positively charged ions) migrate; a positive electrode that reduces metal atoms to produce anions, and a separator that prevents mixing of the half-cells and allows ions to flow between them to complete the circuit. Voltage and current are related: the higher the voltage, the more work a battery can do.

How does a battery work?

The battery works by storing energy when demand is low and then distributing it back out when it’s needed. The amount of work it does depends on the voltage – the higher the voltage, the more it can do.

The ACT Government has partnered with global specialist energy storage business Eku Energy to develop, build and operate the Big Canberra Battery at Williamsdale on the ACT’s southeast border. The project is one of the largest battery energy storage systems in the southern hemisphere.

The Big Canberra Battery will be able to power one third of the ACT’s electricity needs for two hours1 during peak demand times. The ACT government is also installing community batteries at nine locations around the city to create a local battery ecosystem that can be coordinated and orchestrated to meet the needs of the grid. The community batteries will be able to capture and store energy generated from rooftop solar panels and reduce the ACT government’s spend on electricity during peak demand times.

What are the benefits of a battery?

The ACT government is planning to install three community batteries with a capacity of 160 kW/440 kWh at Casey, Mt Stromlo High School and 255 Canberra Avenue in Fyshwick. The batteries will reduce energy consumption at these locations during peak electricity demand periods. The batteries are expected to be operational by early 2025.

The ACT government has partnered with Macquarie Green Investment Group’s Eku Energy to deliver the Big Canberra Battery. The project aims to provide renewable energy security and is part of the ACT’s strategy to build a battery ecosystem. The Williamsdale grid connected battery will be able to store enough renewable power to meet one-third of Canberra’s peak electricity demand for two hours. It will also participate in the National Electricity Market and provide a range of essential system services. Through a revenue sharing arrangement, the ACT government will receive a share of the project’s revenues. The battery will have a life of about 20 years, after which it is expected to be recycled.

What are the drawbacks of a battery?

The first of Canberra’s big battery projects has won development approval. It’s expected to start construction later this year.

The Williamsdale battery and solar array project is part of a plan to get the ACT off gas and reach its 100% renewable energy target. It’ll be able to provide backup power during peak electricity consumption times.

A battery’s high voltage enables it to deliver huge bursts of power in short amounts of time. This is a key feature in electric vehicles, where acceleration and performance are improved.

Batteries have long lifespans but they can also fail. The batteries at the ACT’s nine government sites will last 20 years of charging and discharging. After that, hopes are pinned on technology to cleanly recycle the lithium-ion cells in them. If you’re thinking about buying a battery, ask your installer about how well they stand behind their products. Under Australian Consumer Guarantees, they have a legal obligation to make sure their batteries work as advertised for the warranty period.



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