Neoen recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 300 MW battery storage farm, which will be powered by Tesla Megapacks, in Geelong, Victoria. “We’re rolling up our sleeves with our partner AusNet Services to deliver a 300 MW Tesla battery for next summer,” tweeted Neoen Australia on December 1.
Victoria’s big Tesla battery will be one of the largest in the world when completed. Fondly dubbed the Victorian Big Battery, the 300 MW/450 MWh grid-scale project will use 210 Tesla Megapacks. Victoria appears to have set three goals for Tesla’s big battery.
- Enable more wind and solar power
- To allow more power to flow into the state, thereby increasing competition and pushing prices down
- To help avoid blackouts and their associated costs.
Neoen and AusNet Services predicted a 10-month construction period for the Tesla battery, which nearly aligns with its Summer 2021 target for its start of operations. The project is expected to generate 85 new jobs in the area. The battery installation could help Victoria reach its sustainability goals in the next few years, as the state aims to make 50% of its power to come from renewable energy by 2030.
Victoria has already taken the initiative toward adopting renewable energy sources when it passed a comprehensive ~AU$800 million home energy package. The energy initiative aims to encourage households, rental property owners, and businesses to shift to smart energy-efficient appliances and integrated home systems.
Updating appliances and home systems in households and businesses would ensure energy efficiency, which could drive power costs down for locals. Tesla’s Big Battery could drive costs even lower, acting as a supplement to Victoria’s already ambitious renewable energy plans.
(Credit: Victoria Big Battery)