Synergy moving on $120m Kwinana battery

Synergy’s $120 million Kwinana battery project will head to development assessment next Tuesday, at least the third utility-scale storage proposal to be reviewed this year.

The battery plan was announced by Energy Minister Bill Johnston in October 2020, with 100 megawatt power capacity and 200 megawatt hours of storage.

The facility will be on Weston Street in Naval Base, in a 4 hectare space at the site of the old Kwinana power station.

It will also include a switching station and connections to the power grid.

The proposal has been recommended for approval when the Metro-Outer Joint Development Assessment Panel reviews it, scheduled for next week.

In May, Synergy said tenders to construct the battery closed on 7 April, with a final decision expected toward the end of August.

The battery would be operational towards the end of 2022.

A request for information process drew a large pool of participants, Synergy said in May.

Yesterday, Business News wrote Alinta Energy was seeking approval from the Environmental Protection Authority for a 60MW gas generator and 40MW battery in South Hedland.

That followed deferral of development approval earlier this year.

Alinta had previously estimated it would be worth $200 million.

In May, a $100 million Alinta battery for Wagerup in the Peel region was given development approval.

That will be a 100MW facility.

The batteries are used to provide rapid response when power supply and demand on the grid fluctuate, and can also firm up output from renewables such as rooftop solar.