CEP.Energy teams with Enerven to accelerate solar+storage strategy

CEP.Energy has engaged Enerven Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SA Power Networks, to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services as it looks to continue the roll-out of its commercial and industrial (C&I) solar PV and storage program and big battery network.

Enerven, which has delivered large-scale solar, Virtual Power Plants (VPP) and standalone battery systems across the National Electricity Market (NEM), will act as CEP’s exclusive EPC services contractor in South Australia, and its preferred contractor in other states.

CEP chief executive officer Peter Wright said the partnership paved the way for multiple projects, including the planned Lionsgate project, a 24 MW rooftop solar farm and 150 MW grid-scale battery to be developed on the site of the former Holden car manufacturing plant at Elizabeth in South Australia, to be progressed and for CEP to achieve substantial scale in a shorter timeframe.

“CEP.Energy has ambition to become the largest distributed renewable energy and storage developer and owner in Australia through strategic partnerships with large C&I property owners and specialist delivery partners,” he said.

“Partnering with Enerven will help facilitate that by giving us a single point of contractor relationship and delivery for our large pipeline of projects involving embedded networks, solar and storage projects across Australia.”

Under the agreement, Enerven will provide project design and delivery to support CEP’s ongoing C&I and VPP program. Enerven will provide technical assessment and site feasibility analysis, and help design, install, operate and maintain systems.

Enerven general manager Richard Amato said the company will also provide technical and advisory services to advance CEP’s proposed utility scale storage network.

This will include providing strategic advice to support grid connection submissions, detailed engineering design and early selection of technology, installation and operation.

“Enerven is thrilled to be CEP.Energy’s national delivery partner for their ambitious and exciting renewable program,” he said.

“We are very proud to be at the forefront of the current renewables revolution and working with clients like CEP.Energy, who want to create a more cost efficient, environmentally sustainable future for Australia is extremely rewarding.”

CEP, which finances, builds, owns and operates renewable energy microgrids and virtual power plants (VPPs) in partnership with property portfolio groups, has an impressive pipeline of renewable energy projects that includes more than 70 C&I embedded networks with solar and onsite battery storage.

The company said Phase 1 of the roll-out has commenced with 2.9 MW of rooftop solar installed in recent months and 11 MW of battery storage in the installation or planning phase.

The installation of 2.6 MW of solar and 4 MW of storage at the Narellan Town Centre project, described by the CEP as Australia’s largest retail renewable energy project, is also progressing.

CEP has also announced plans to develop a 2 GW utility scale battery storage portfolio, including the $200 million Lionsgate Energy Storage System in South Australia. The current estimate is that construction of the project will commence in 2023.

The battery is one of four utility scale battery projects that CEP plans to develop throughout Australia, including a 1.2 GW megabattery in the Hunter region of New South Wales (NSW).

Wright has previously said the $2.4 billion Hunter Big Battery will be developed in stages with construction on the project expected to begin in Q1 2022 with hopes of it being operational in 2023.