The first big battery signed up to help deliver a “baseload renewables” contract – in this case BHP’s giant Olympic Dam mine in South Australia – has now started full operations.
Neoen’s 238.5 MW, 477 MWh Blyth battery will combine with output from the Goyder South wind project to meet the BHP contract, and will be the company’s second big battery in the state, nearly eight years after the world’s first big battery at Hornsdale was built.
“Blyth battery will not only contribute to the grid, but also support Neoen’s first-ever renewable energy baseload contract, helping firm wind power from our Goyder South Stage 1 wind farm to power operations at BHP’s Olympic Dam,” Neoen said in a LinkedIn post.
The development is significant as it is the sixth big battery to join the grid in South Australia – after Hornsdale, Dalrymple North, Lake Bonney, Torrens Island, and Tailem Bend.
South Australia has the highest share of wind and solar in Australia – and the world – with 72 per cent over the last 12 months and aims to reach 100 per cent net renewables in 2027, and is reporting big demand from companies with big loads to join the grid.
Blyth completed construction – ahead of time – late last year, and has completed its commissioning process on time, despite flagging some hurdles and issues with the connection process for the grid forming inverters that will also be rolled out at the facility.
Neoen, now owned by global asset management giant Brookfield, now has five big batteries operating or going through commissioning in Australia, including what will be the country’s biggest – a 560 MW, 2240 MWh facility at Collie in Western Australia.
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