Natural gas-fired electricity power station in Port Adelaide, Torrens Island, South Australia

AGL has appointed technology group, Wärtsilä to construct the $180 million, 250MW Torrens Island grid-scale battery in South Australia.

The Torrens Island grid-scale battery, expected to be around the size of Adelaide oval, will support the growth of intermittent renewable energy in South Australia and will be the first to begin construction within AGL’s planned 850MW national battery roll-out.

AGL chief operating officer, Markus Brokhof, says AGL is excited to begin these works as we develop our sites into low-carbon industrial energy hubs: “Torrens Island has played an important role in the state’s energy generation for many decades and our plans ensure the site’s legacy continues with smart and sustainable technologies.

“This grid-scale battery will support South Australia’s energy transition, providing essential capacity when renewable generation is impacted and during periods of high demand, demonstrating once more that AGL is taking a leading role in reshaping the energy future.”

He adds that while the battery will support the state’s energy transition, AGL estimates it’ll create up to 50 local jobs during the construction phase, building on the 400 employees already working at the SA site.

“The planning phase is well underway. With the support of the South Australian government we’ve been able to streamline the process, enabling us to bring the battery online sooner for our customers,” Markus says.

“We are pleased to be working with Wärtsilä on this project, who bring critical expertise and technology to bring this project to life.”

Wärtsilä Energy president, Sushil Purohit, says that the company is proud to have been selected as the energy storage system provider for this landmark project.

“With its unparalleled renewable energy resources, Australia has a unique opportunity to swiftly decarbonise and transition to full renewable integration,” Sushil says.

“Coupled with a combination of our flexibility technologies, this is a ground-breaking partnership to support the balance of renewable variability and bring affordable electricity supply for local customers.”

The storage duration of the 250MW battery will initially be for one hour (250MWh), with space for expansion of up to four hours (1000MWh).  Construction is planned to commence in late 2021.