Melbourne-headquartered large-scale battery solutions company Akaysha Energy has begun construction of its Brisbane-based $200 million (USD 131.7 million) Brendale battery energy storage system (BESS), located at the South Pine substation, a central node of Queensland’s electricity grid.
Scheduled to start operation in 2026, the Brendale BESS will feature Tesla Megapack technology while the balance of plant (BoP) will be delivered by high voltage power solutions company Consolidated Power Projects Australia.
Capable of storing energy to power up to 300,000 homes during a blackout, the project will provide energy arbitrage and frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) to support the National Electricity Market (NEM) and facilitate the integration of solar and wind projects by leveraging existing transmission infrastructure in the region.
Image: Akaysha Energy
Akaysha Energy Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer Paul Curnow said the Brendale BESS is an important element of Akaysha Energy’s portfolio across not only Queensland but the NEM more broadly.
“The Brendale BESS is a crucial step in our mission to rapidly deploy large-scale BESS, enhancing grid stability and energy security while driving the global shift to sustainable energy,” Curnow said.
“It is one of four projects under development in the state and it’s clear that the Queensland energy sector is serious about the transition.”
“Once operational, the Brendale BESS will significantly bolster the delivery of a stable supply of energy to the local community,” he said.
The Brendale BESS is one of four Akaysha Energy utility-scale battery projects in Queensland and includes the under-development 155 MW / 300 MWh Ulinda Park BESS adjacent to the Western Downs Substation 280 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Public notification of the 400 MW / 1,600 MWh Wurdong BESS, 20 kilometres south of Gladstone, closed on 7 August 2024, and the proposed 500 MW / 2,000 MWh Halys BESS project, 220 kilometres north of Brisbane is in the community consultation phase.
In New South Wales (NSW), Akaysha most recently landed $650 million for the 415 MW / 1,660 MWh Orana BESS, being built in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), 50 kilometres southwest of Dubbo.
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