Market RadarBESS & Batterijparken
AGL Energy Advances Large-Scale Battery Storage in Australia
AGL Energy is developing two large-scale battery energy storage projects in New South Wales, Australia. The Kangaroo Valley BESS (350 MW/1,450 MWh) is undergoing environmental assessment, while the Bathurst Battery (500 MW/4,000 MWh) is in early planning. Both projects utilize LFP batteries and contribute to expanding AGL's flexible storage portfolio.
AGL Energy, a significant player in the Australian energy market, is advancing two distinct grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in New South Wales. These initiatives highlight the growing focus on flexible storage solutions to support the electricity grid.
The first project, the Kangaroo Valley BESS, with a capacity of 350 MW and 1,450 MWh, has been submitted for assessment under the federal environmental legislation (EPBC Act). AGL has self-assessed this project as a 'likely controlled action' due to potential impacts on threatened species habitats and a critically endangered vegetation community near Shoalhaven. This implies that ministerial approval is required before construction can commence. The project, designed for a 20-year operational life, is expected to take approximately eighteen months to build and will connect to an existing switching station via an underground transmission line.
Meanwhile, AGL is in the early stages of investigating a second, even larger BESS system near Bathurst. This project, the Bathurst Battery, is planned for 500 MW with a storage capacity of 4,000 MWh and an eight-hour discharge duration. The total installed capacity will be 5,400 MWh to support performance over the asset's operating life. Construction for this project, which is anticipated to take 24 months and create up to 200 jobs, is slated to begin in late 2028, with operations targeted for 2030. The project is classified as a 'State Significant Development,' and AGL is currently preparing a report to define the environmental assessment requirements.
For its current projects, AGL employs lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, housed in fire-resistant, custom-designed steel containers with individual thermal management systems. These projects are part of AGL's strategy to repurpose sites of former thermal power generation facilities for energy storage, as already demonstrated with the Liddell BESS. The Clean Energy Investor Group has, however, criticized the speed of EPBC process implementation, which could affect the progress of such projects.
Source: Energy-Storage.News
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Considering the challenges and opportunities presented by projects like AGL's, what role do you foresee for large-scale battery storage in the energy transition of your region?
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