Sydney — Shell Energy Australia, global oil and gas major Shell Plc’s renewable energy business in the country, and AMPYR Australia (AMPYR) signed an agreement to develop a battery energy storage system, the companies said on Friday.
The proposed 500 megawatt (MW) battery project will be built in the central west region of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state, Singapore-based renewable energy firm AMPYR said.
The construction is expected to begin in the middle of next year, subject to all relevant approvals and financing.
“(This) will be one of the largest battery storage projects in NSW, contributing to the reliability of the national electricity market and further advancing Australia’s clean energy future,” AMPYR Director Ben Salmon said.
The environmental impact statement of the battery energy storage system project is expected to be released for public consultation later this month.
Battery energy storage is essential for preventing blackouts — amid coal-fired plants being retired in Australia — as it can absorb energy during the day when prices are cheap and release the energy when wind and solar power are not available, typically when prices are higher.
($1 = 1.5785 Australian dollars)
Reporting by Renju Jose; editing by Uttaresh. – Reuters
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