Australian renewable energy developer Ark Energy has penned a battery supply agreement with Hanwha Energy for a 275MW/2,200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in northern New South Wales, Australia.
The BESS will be supplied to the Richmond Valley Solar and BESS project in Myrtle Creek, around 700km north of the state capital, Sydney. Ark Energy, a subsidiary of Korea Zinc Co, a zinc smelter, confirmed that the BESS would use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology and be 8-hour duration.
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Under the contract, Hanwha Energy will provide Ark Energy with a complete BESS solution, including batteries, inverters, and commissioning services.
The project’s solar PV element will use either crystalline silicon or thin-film technology mounted on an east-west tracking system. It will consist of up to 730,000 bifacial solar modules.
The BESS is set to be delivered in 2026, with Ark Energy aiming to commence commercial operations by 2027. The project will connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM), support the electricity needs of state consumers, and enhance the stability of the energy grid.
Construction is expected to last up to 24 months, and it will be in operation for 30 years, generating around 327 full-time jobs. The developers estimate the project will cost around AUS$1.2 billion (US$790 million), with around AUS$180 million to be retained within the regional economy.
The project was awarded a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA) in 2023 as part of the New South Wales Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap’s incentive scheme.
Ark Energy sees three projects named in Australia’s inaugural Priority List
The Richmond Valley Solar and BESS project was one of three developments from Ark Energy included in the Australian government’s inaugural National Renewable Energy Priority List.
Australia’s inaugural Priority List identifies 56 priority projects nationally, including 24 transmission and 32 energy generation and storage projects. 6.3GW of energy storage capacity, consisting of pumped hydro and batteries, had been included.
An additional 16GW of renewable energy generation capacity has also been included in the list.
Alongside the Richmond Valley site, Ark Energy’s 1,000MW Boomer Green Energy Hub in Queensland and the 300MW St Patricks Plains Wind Farm in Tasmania were included in the list.
Co-location will likely be one of the main discussion points at the Energy Storage Summit Australia 2025, which will be held next week from 18 to 19 March in Sydney. Our publisher, Solar Media, is hosting the event.
Yesterday (12 March), Energy-Storage.news analysed some of the trends likely to feature at the Summit with analysis from some of the speakers set to attend the event. Readers can get an exclusive 20% off tickets using the code ESN20.
