Neoen one of the world’s leading and fastest-growing producers of exclusively renewable energy has completed its 50% expansion of Hornsdale Power Reserve (HPR). The 50 MW addition takes the world’s first big battery to an upgraded capacity of 150 MW.
Delivered in partnership with Tesla, the South Australian Government, and the Australian Government through the CEFC and ARENA, the increased storage capacity of HPR will further enhance its ability to stabilize the grid, avoid price volatility in the market and reduce the risks of blackouts. In a world first and in close cooperation with AEMO and ElectraNet, testing will now commence of the battery’s capacity to deliver grid-scale inertia services, an essential component of grid stability.
The benefits that HPR has unlocked for consumers are well established, with independent reviews indicating that the battery has already delivered more than AUD150 million (US$110 million) in savings to the market in its first two years of operation. With HPR’s enhanced storage capacity and its new capabilities, the benefits to consumers are predicted to grow further thanks to the higher penetration of renewables that it will enable. The construction of HPR has also delivered a significant economic boost to South Australia. According to a report by Aurecon, the combined construction phases of the 150 MW battery has led to 158 jobs and generated over AUD300 million (US$220 million) in economic value for the State, half of this within the Yorke and Mid North region. The project’s Community Benefit Fund continues to provide opportunities for local community-building initiatives and is forecast to provide over AUDmillion (US$0.73 million) additional social and economic benefits in the coming years.
