Developer Akaysha Energy has received federal environmental clearance for its 400MW/1,600MWh Glenrowan battery energy storage system (BESS) in Victoria, with the project deemed “not a controlled action” under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The approval enables the BlackRock-backed developer to proceed with the construction of a 4-hour-duration grid-scale battery storage system near Winton without further federal environmental assessment requirements.
The decision follows Akaysha’s EPBC Act submission in February, which detailed plans to develop the facility on a 62.11-hectare site with battery infrastructure concentrated within an 8.17-hectare disturbance footprint.
The project is designed to store energy for the National Electricity Market (NEM), which spans Australia’s eastern and southern states and territories, while providing essential grid services to support network stability.
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Akaysha’s environmental assessment identified minimal ecological impact, with only five of 185 surveyed native trees requiring removal for construction.
The facility will be constructed on existing cleared agricultural land, with underground 220kV transmission cabling connecting to the adjacent Glenrowan Terminal Station via horizontal directional drilling to avoid vegetation clearance.
The Glenrowan project is among several large-scale battery storage developments progressing through Victoria’s regulatory framework. The facility was included in Victoria’s Development Facilitation Program, which aims to accelerate 700MW of battery storage development across the state through streamlined planning approvals.
Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2027, with the facility designed for a 30-year operational lifespan before decommissioning and site restoration for agricultural use or alternative applications.
Akaysha Energy continues to expand portfolio in Australia
Akaysha Energy has established itself as a major player in Australia’s utility-scale battery storage sector, developing what it describes as the “world’s most powerful battery storage system,” the 850MW/1,680MWh Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales.
The battery storage system achieved its first full output to the NEM in October last year. However, a catastrophic transformer failure raised concerns around the project before it entered a planned balance of plant shutdown from 20 November to 2 December.
Waratah Super Battery, which has been described as a “giant shock absorber for the grid,” will deliver essential services under a System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS) contract and is now expected to be fully commissioned this year.
Beyond Australia, Akaysha has exposure in several international markets, including the US, Japan and Germany. In September 2025, the group secured an AU$300 million corporate debt facility to support its expansion into these markets.
More recently, the company switched on a 410MWh grid-forming BESS five months ahead of schedule and entered a 300MWh BESS into NEM trading in Queensland.
The BlackRock-backed developer has been weighing funding options to support its battery storage expansion across Australia.
Akaysha Energy’s operational portfolio now encompasses 1.4GWh across multiple Australian markets, with 4.5GWh under construction and an additional 30GWh in development globally.
Interested in Australia? Read Energy-Storage.news’ Energy Storage Summit Australia coverage and related content.
