Technology group Wärtsilä has been selected by Origin Energy as the preferred contractor to deliver the first phase, 460 megawatts (MW) and 920 megawatt hours (MWh), of what will be one of Australia’s largest energy storage projects. The Eraring battery will be installed at Origin’s Eraring Power Station. Origin may elect to expand the battery to 700 MW and 2,800 MWh in the future. The companies have signed an engineered equipment delivery (EEQ) contract with a total value of slightly more than 300 MEUR, Wärtsilä’s largest single energy storage deal to-date. The order is expected to be booked latest in the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and equipment delivery is expected to occur from October 2023 to September 2024.
The Eraring battery will be connected to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) and support energy security and reliability in the state of New South Wales as the penetration of variable renewable energy supply increases.
Wärtsilä’s energy storage system (ESS) is designed with the potential to switch operation into grid-forming in the future, with the capability to supply a variety of system strength and system restart ancillary services. This will deliver stability and resilience for NEM as a higher proportion of renewable energy sources penetrate the grid, helping to facilitate Australia’s clean energy transition.
Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform is a critical aspect of the system, which monitors and controls the flow of energy, enabling these projects to provide grid support during periods of instability. With Wärtsilä’s Storage+ Solution, the projects will provide firming capacity to balance Origin’s generation portfolio in support of its retail customer load. The project includes Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Quantum, a fully-integrated modular and compact energy storage system that offers the lowest lifecycle costs, fastest deployment times, highest quality control and maximum flexibility. GridSolv Quantum is a certified UL-compliant design fitted with several safety features.
