The Victorian Government is investing in new technology at the Fotowatio Renewable Ventures’ Terang Battery Energy Storage System to build Victoria’s renewable energy future.
The project includes a 100MW/200MW/h battery and grid forming inverter, which was made possible through a $7 million investment as part of Round 2 of the Energy Innovation Fund.
The project will include 38 inverters and 48 battery containers. The Victorian Government said the project is expected to create up to 150 jobs during construction.
Grid forming inverters use voltage and frequency control technology to manage the supply and demand of electricity flowing through the network and keep it performing reliably. This technology is critical as more renewable energy is connected to the grid.
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) Australia has appointed Canadian Solar’s e-STORAGE for construction of the project to begin early 2025. FRV Australia will also award site maintenance contracts to local businesses.
The Energy Innovation Fund has invested $38.2 million across four projects under Round 2, which will create up to 200 construction jobs, 20 ongoing jobs, and unlock more than $160 million of commercial investment.
The State Government said that Victoria is transitioning to 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035. With large amounts of solar and wind coming online, large-scale storage capacity is essential for storing the renewable energy from these new projects to further drive down bills for Victorian households.
Victoria is already the home of big batteries, with 537MW of operational battery storage capacity currently in operation. Every gigawatt of battery storage built allows 3GW of renewable energy to be connected to the grid.
This project will help meet Victoria’s demand for storage, as well as the State Government’s target of at least 2.6GW of energy storage capacity by 2030 and 6.3GW by 2035.
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “The Terang battery is in a strong and strategic part of the grid and will soak up local renewable energy, support lower bills for southwest Victorians and boost economic development.
“The Energy Innovation Fund has been designed to position Victoria at the forefront of the energy transition, with associated benefits for supply chain and skills development – and that’s what the Terang battery is bringing.”
Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora said, “This system is another big battery for Victoria – and it will be supporting southwest Victorian homes, businesses, hospitals and schools from 2026.”
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