ENGIE’s Hazelwood battery energy storage system (BESS) expansion in Australia has moved closer to financial close after a state transmission declaration.

Power group Engie has put an 142MW/802MWh BESS project in Chile into operation, while IPP Grenergy has secured financing for the fifth and final stage of its Oasis de Atacama solar-plus-storage project.

This edition of news in brief from around the world in energy storage features Engie, Econergy and Inion Software in Central and Eastern Europe.

EDF Power Solutions has put a 150MW/600MWh BESS in Belgium into commercial operation while Engie has started building a 74MW/296MWh project. 

Power firm Engie and IPP Grenergy are advancing three solar-plus-BESS projects in Chile.

July was a busy month for large-scale battery storage activity in the UK, with Engie commissioning a system, Masdar and Fidra hitting financial close on projects, Eku Energy buying one, project consents for Aura Power and Starlight Energy, and more.

Return and Engie have agreed a long-term BESS toll in Spain while EnBW and Zelestra have finalised one in Italy, totalling 55MW and 300MW of capacity respectively.

Power firm Engie has entered into a long-term flexibility purchase agreement with developer Ignis for 625MWh of BESS capacity in Spain.

Axpo and e-Storage have partnered on a BESS in southern Italy, RES Group has signed a full-scope battery asset management agreement in Sweden, while R.Power has agreed to sell a Poland BESS project to Engie.

Flower and ENGIE sign a 7-year virtual toll for 126MW in Germany, while Entrix wins optimisation rights for DRI’s 133MW Polish BESS.