CEFC supporting SA's giant battery plan

The South Australian Government will construct Australia’s largest battery to store energy from the wind and sun as part of its $150 million Renewable Technology Fund to support investment in clean, dispatchable and affordable power.

The SA Government has now opened a two-week expression of interest period for national and international companies interested in building the 100 MW battery. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is also working with the government to develop a financing package to support delivery of the project.

CEFC CEO Oliver Yates said the project will “efficiently demonstrate how battery storage can play a part in the competitive future of our energy system”. He added that the CEFC has been in discussion with a number of large-scale battery providers for some time, including those looking to offer potential energy storage solutions in South Australia.

“The CEFC has considerable expertise in the area of large-scale storage and flexible financing solutions,” said Yates. “We are confident we can work with speed to contribute to a successful outcome in South Australia. We are also confident we can create a model that can be used in other states as they seek to integrate growing renewable energy capacity into a cleaner, cheaper and reliable energy system.”

Project proponents interested in the battery storage project can find the expression of interest document here. Tenders close on 31 March at 12 noon ACDT.