Alinta Energy is planning a 100MW big battery next to its Wagerup peaking gas and diesel plant.

Alinta - owner of the 35MW/11MWh Newman battery, which powers giant iron ore mines owned by billionaires Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest - filed an application with the Waroona shire council for a 100MW lithium ion battery.

The project site is adjacent to the company’s 380MW gas and diesel peaking power plant at Wagerup, also neighbouring the Alcoa alumina refinery.

The project has been approved by the WA Environment Protection Authority, according to Perth-based energy, industry and climate website Boiling Cold.

“The ability of large batteries to respond instantly to fluctuations on the grid is critical to the development and operation of increased renewable energy in the state of Western Australia,” Alinta’s council application states. 

“With the continued introduction of intermittent energy sources into the SWIS, such as domestic and utility scale solar, the need for fast-start, balancing capacity becomes more important.

“The installation of a battery at this scale creates the opportunity for much more renewable and intermittent electricity generation to be connected to the SWIS while maintaining power quality and continuity of supply.

“The ability of large batteries to respond instantly to fluctuations on the grid is critical to the development and operation of increased renewable energy in the state.”

More details are available here.