Vena Energy commissions 100-MW/150-MWh battery in Queensland

Singapore-based independent power producer (IPP) Vena Energy today said it has switched on its 100-MW/150-MWh Wandoan South battery in Queensland, touted as the largest one in the Aussie state.

Located near Wandoan, in Queensland’s Western Downs region, the battery energy storage system (BESS) will be able to store as much power as 57,000 average Australian homes consume annually. It is connected to a nearby substation owned by transmission system operator Powerlink.

Domestic utility AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) holds the full operational dispatch rights of the battery under a 15-year contract. The electricity provider explained that power from the facility will be fed into the grid during periods when renewable generators are less available and when its 465-MW Cooper’s Gap wind farm is not generating.

“With the largest utility-scale battery in Queensland now operational, it will encourage more renewable energy generation and help manage the supply and demand balance in the national electricity grid,” said Owen Sela, head of Vena Energy Australia.

Construction of the Wandoan South BESS was initiated in 2020. The facility underwent a testing and commissioning process lasting 18 months.

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