Australian gov’t grants $6.6m funding to Edify for 25MW battery project

This will enable Edify to ram up the project to 150MW/300MWh.

The Australian government has provided $4.5m (A$6.6m) funding to Edify Energy to build a 25-megawatt(MW)/ 50MW-hour (MWh) battery facility, future-proofing the 275MW Darlington Point Solar Farm in New South Wales (NSW), according to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

ARENA said the funding allows Edify to expand the project with advanced inverters to 150MW/300MWh, with its advanced inverters supporting the solar farm adjacent to it as renewable energy generation in south-western NSW increases.

Once built, the battery facility will be one of the most advanced battery systems in the National Electricity Market. It could also strengthen the system in a weak part of the grid.

“To support the rapid transformation of our electricity system, large scale batteries will need to evolve to do more than just store energy. They need to be equipped with advanced inverters that can provide critical grid stability services to keep the system safe and secure, especially as synchronous generators retire and renewables provide a higher share of supply," said ARENA Acting CEO Chris Faris in a press statement.

“Large scale batteries like Edify’s Darlington Point battery are not only firming our renewable energy but also strengthening the grid particularly in regional areas, where they will help to unlock more renewable uptake,” he added.

Aside from the national government funding, the NSW Government will also provide $4.4m (A$6.5m) for battery funding as part of its Emerging Energy Programme of around  $51.2m (A$75m).

According to ARENA, advanced inverters allow grid-scale and grid-connected batteries to stabilise services traditionally given by synchronous generation like coal or gas.

$1 = A$1.47