Collie’s energy future begins as Neoen stage one battery becomes operational

Less than 18 months on from the start of construction, stage one of the Collie battery has begun operating. The 877 megawatt hours system began operating on October 1, after construction began in June last year. The battery can produce 197MW of power for a four-hour period and is designed to charge through the day when energy production from solar is at its highest before discharging in the evening energy peak. Neoen Australia chief executive officer Jean-Christophe Cheylus said the milestone was a proud one for the company. “We are extremely proud to have delivered the largest battery in Western Australia in record time,” he said. “We are delighted to be contributing a storage project of this scale and duration. With over two GW (gigawatts) of projects in our pipeline in WA, we are committed to continuing to play our part in the State’s energy transition.” Stage two is under construction and is set to increase total capacity of the system to 2240MWh — Australia’s largest. The finished system will consist of 224 Tesla Megapack 2XL units and is estimated to store enough power to discharge 20 per cent of the average demand of the South West Integrated System. State Energy, Environment and Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby said the battery would help deliver consistent power. “The WA Government is clear that our State’s energy future will be powered by a mix of rooftop solar, onshore wind, and large-scale battery storage, backed by gas,” he said. “This battery will support household investment in rooftop solar by soaking up excess energy produced during the day and making it available in the evening when it’s most needed. “It’s the exact sort of development that the Cook Government is supporting, as we get on with the job of retiring State-owned coal-fired power by 2030, embracing WA’s clean energy future, and ensuring Collie continues to be at the heart of our State’s South West energy supply.” Neoen’s Collie battery is just one of many planned for the region as the town moves closer to its transition away from coal. Synergy is constructing a 2000MWh battery next to the the decommissioned Collie Power Station for completion in 2025. Meanwhile, Alinta is building a 300MW battery in Wagerup to be complete by October 2027.