French utility ENGIE has commissioned the 150 MW/150 MWh Hazelwood Battery Energy Storage System (HBESS) in Victoria, Australia.
The battery system was completed in collaboration with U.K.-based energy storage solutions provider Eku Energy and U.S.-based energy storage technology solutions provider Fluence.
HBESS is located on the site of the former Hazelwood power plant and consists of 342 Fluence modules.
The system is expected to be able to store electricity equivalent to one hour’s output from the solar systems installed on the roofs of approximately 30,000 homes in Victoria. This stored energy can be injected into the grid during periods of peak demand, ENGIE says.
The commissioning of HBESS aligns with ENGIE’s goal to increase the adoption of flexibility technologies and expedite the deployment of battery storage. It also contributes to the company’s target of achieving 10 GW of installed battery capacity by 2030.
Additionally, the commissioning of the facility is a crucial step in the site remediation of the former coal-fired power station, which was undertaken by ENGIE in 2017 as part of the company’s strategy to transition away from coal-fired power generation.
“HBESS is an illustration of ENGIE’s commitment to developing assets that provide flexibility to energy systems. Energy storage solutions such as batteries play a major role in accelerating the energy transition while guaranteeing electrical grid reliability,” said Sébastien Arbola, Executive Vice President in charge of Flex Gen & Retail activities. “By storing the energy produced at times when wind and solar sources are most productive or when demand is lowest, they help to accelerate the development of renewable energies by meeting the balancing needs arising from their variable production.”
