The ACT’s first grid-scale battery has been switched on, representing a significant milestone in Canberra’s pathway towards electrification.
Celebrating the milestone, the Minister for Climate Action, Andrew Barr said the battery, located in Beard, had enough storage to power approximately 3,000 homes for two hours and was now fully operational as part of the National Electricity Market.
“The ACT has long been committed to ambitious renewable energy policies which means that we now have advanced industry knowledge and capabilities,” Mr Barr said.
“This sets Canberra up as a great place to invest in renewable energy technology,” he said.
He said the battery was a significant first for the city, given energy storage and battery technology are critical components of the community’s zero emissions future.
“We have even more battery storage on the horizon for the ACT, with a further 250 MW of grid-scale and neighbourhood batteries to be installed in the coming years as part of our Big Canberra Battery Project,” Mr Barr said.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Shane Rattenbury said energy storage would play an important role in the reliability of Territory’s electricity supply by providing power to help avoid blackouts during periods of high demand.
Mr Rattenbury said it would also help mitigate situations when large, interstate fossil-fuel generators fail in heatwave conditions – reducing the amount of electricity available throughout the eastern States.
