Twelve battery storage projects with a combined value of $3.7 billion have been selected to submit their full applications for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) $100 million Large Scale Battery Storage Round.
The funding initiative seeks to equip grid-scale batteries with an advanced inverter solution. The technology, which is also known as grid-forming inverters, will allow a project to provide essential system services traditionally provided by synchronous generation, such as coal or gas.
The 12 shortlisted battery storage projects have an aggregate capacity of 3050 MW/7,000 MWh and a total of $297 million in ARENA grant requests. They have been handpicked by the agency from a pool of 54 Expressions of Interest.
The funding round can support both new build projects and retrofits for existing batteries nationally, with each battery required to be at least 70 MW.
“The 12 shortlisted projects represented the strongest of an impressive field and we’re looking forward to seeing their full applications,” said Chris Faris, acting CEO of ARENA.
The applicants have until July 20 to submit their applications. ARENA said it expects to announce the successful applicants to the round in late 2022.
