The World’s Largest Battery Powered by U.S.-Based Powin has Kicked Off Execution in Australia
- The Waratah Super Battery (WSB) is proposed to reside at the site of the old Munmorah Power Station, a 1400 MW coal-fired power plant serving Sydney, Australia and beyond.
- Powin will supply the equipment capable of 909MW of power and 1915MWh of energy capacity, making it the “most powerful battery in the world” when operational
- The BESS, which will form part of a System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS), will act as “shock absorber” for the electrical grid for system reliability purposes.
PORTLAND, Ore.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Global energy storage platform provider Powin LLC (Powin), will deliver a 1.9 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for Akaysha Energy (Akaysha), a BlackRock company, to power the New South Wales (NSW) Waratah Super Battery (WSB) Project. Following a competitive procurement process, Akaysha Energy has been appointed by the Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo) to develop the Waratah Super Battery — the most powerful battery in the world – to provide a service of at least 700 MW capacity as part of a System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS). Powin will supply 2,592 Centipede™ Energy Segments and 288 power conversion systems from their wholly owned subsidiary, EKS Energy for a total project capacity of 909MW / 1915 MWh. Powin will also provide a 20-year long-term service agreement (LTSA) which will enhance the reliability, efficiency and availability of power supplied by the mega battery.
This flagship SIPS project will unlock latent transfer capacity in the existing transmission system, help integrate renewable energy, and maintain grid reliability by acting as a ‘shock absorber’ if disruptions such as lightning strikes or bushfires interrupt the flow of electricity. The proposed WSB Project will ensure Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong have access to more energy from existing generators while reducing the risk of power disruptions.
“Powin’s proven ability to deploy energy storage systems at scale coupled with EKS Energy’s unrivaled power conversion system, plant controller and systems engineering capabilities have made this an easy decision to select Powin as our technology partner,” said Nick Carter, Akaysha Energy’s Managing Director. “Together, Powin and EKS are one of few companies best positioned to meet the Australian grid operators’ high standards of performance as their vertically integrated platform combining the hardware and software controls allows for unparalleled response time and grid compliance.”
“We are honored to have been selected by Akaysha to deliver the most powerful battery in the world,” said Geoff Brown, CEO of Powin. “This is a pivotal moment for the industry as we begin to replace carbon emitting power plants, with cleaner, more efficient, and fast responding energy storage systems.”
Deemed as Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) by the NSW Government, the Waratah Super Battery is proposed to be located 100 kilometers north of Sydney at the former 1400MW Munmorah coal-fired power station. Pending approval, construction will begin in 2023 and is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
The Waratah Super Battery is independent of the 1.7GWh supply agreement between Akaysha and Powin that was announced back in August 2022, reinforcing the importance energy storage has for the Australian energy market.
About Powin, LLC (Powin):
Powin is a global leader in the design and manufacture of safe and scalable energy storage solutions. Our innovative and cost-effective hardware and software are revolutionizing the way energy is generated, transmitted, and distributed, helping the world achieve decarbonization objectives. Powin has delivered over 2,500 MWh of BESS in over 8 different countries and has a contracted pipeline to supply over 10,000 MWh of energy storage systems globally over the next three years. To learn more, please visit www.powin.com.
About Akaysha Energy (Akaysha)
Akaysha Energy brings together market leading experience in energy markets, technology, development, asset management and capital markets for end-to-end development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and renewables projects in Australia and across the APAC region. For additional information on Akaysha Energy, please visit www.akayshaenergy.com.au.
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