Wallgrove Grid Battery to accelerate emerging technology

NSW’s first large-scale grid battery announced last week will accelerate our understanding of the role this emerging technology can play in stabilising and securing the national electricity grid as we transition to renewable energy. 

In leading this project, TransGrid will trial world-class battery technology and share knowledge outcomes that will guide industry and government in Australia’s energy transformation, while paving the way for future investment opportunities. 

With output of 50 MW, the power equivalent of 125,000 solar panels, the Wallgrove Grid Battery will be the second largest battery in Australia and one of only a few in the world to demonstrate “synthetic inertia” as a network service.

It will be an impressive physical presence at our Wallgrove substation in Western Sydney, with 36 Tesla Megapack units, each the size of a 20-foot-long shipping container and spanning one acre – connected to transformers and with a direct feed to the National Energy Market (NEM). 

Closely watched by government and industry alike, is how the battery can address frequency challenges on the grid and provide “inertia” to smooth the power system as we continue the transition to renewable energy. 

The Wallgrove Grid Battery will demonstrate how battery can be used to respond to a frequency event, and how often it is needed to provide synthetic inertia and fast frequency response services. 

Working with Infigen Energy, we will also demonstrate how batteries can be used as a new source of dispatchable power, how much electricity it is able to store and dispatch under different conditions.  

While it’s early days, Transgrid’s Wallgrove Grid Battery project is on track to be a world-class pilot program that will improve our network service, strengthen knowledge of this emerging inertia technology and pave the way forward for Australia’s transition to a low-carbon future. 

We look forward to bringing this project to life in 2021 as we work together to make electricity more reliable, efficient and affordable. 

Transgrid’s Wallgrove Battery Project received funding from ARENA as part of ARENA's Advancing Renewables Program and the NSW Government as part of its Emerging Energy Program

The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the NSW Government or the Australian Government. The NSW Government and Australian Government do not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.