Vena flicks switch on ‘benchmark’ solar and storage facility

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Singapore-based renewables developer Vena Energy has confirmed it has added a 41.5 MW, one-hour battery energy storage system alongside an existing 87 MW solar farm deployed as part of the Tailem Bend 2 hybrid project. The solar power plant was commissioned in late 2023.

Vena said the commissioning of the battery marks the successful completion of “the largest utility-scale hybrid renewable facility with a single connection to the National Electricity Market (NEM).”

This project has “set a new benchmark in Australia’s renewable energy landscape,” Vena said, noting the “cutting-edge design” allows the solar and battery components to operate independently while sharing a single grid connection.

The company said the 87 MW solar farm generates enough renewable energy to power the more than 38,000 Australian households annually while the 41.5 MW battery system functions as both a load and generator, storing energy during low demand periods and releasing it during peak demand. It also provides frequency control services to maintain grid stability.

Owen Sela, Vena’s head of Australia, said the hybrid configuration “redefines operational flexibility.”

“Our system enables simultaneous export of solar power to the grid and independent operation of the battery for energy export or storage,” he said. “By optimising existing grid infrastructure, we are enabling renewable energy to be dispatched when needed, delivering cost-effective power to South Australia.”

The Tailem Bend project includes a combined 182 MW of solar.

Image: Vena Energy

The project, located about 90 kilometres southeast of Adelaide, is the second phase of a larger multi-staged development that includes the 95 MW Tailem Bend 1 solar farm that commenced operations in 2019.

Additionally, Vena has also secured approval to develop another battery energy storage system at Tailem Bend, revealing the 204 MW / 408 MWh battery would store excess renewables sourced directly from the grid.

Sela said the ability to store surplus energy and meet high-demand periods ensures a more resilient energy system that supports both the state’s 2030 emissions targets and Australia’s net zero future.

The Tailem Bend project is part of Vena’s growing portfolio in Australia with the developer, owned by United States-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), having previously indicated it has 6 GW of renewable energy projects planned here.

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