Engie Australia has signed a “firm virtual storage agreement” with energy generating and retailing major AGL that allows for the financial trading of a virtual two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS).
The five-year derivatives-only agreement, that is backed by AGL’s portfolio of battery energy storage systems in New South Wales, is due to start in 2027. The agreement mimics a two-hour battery but the contracted capacity has not been disclosed.
Tiburce Blanchy, the head of Engie’s supply and management operations in Australia and New Zealand, said the agreement provides the company with the ability to virtually charge or discharge the battery at any time.
“The firm virtual storage agreement emulates the operational flexibility of a two-hour battery through daily financial swaps – two hours of discharge (buy) and two hours of charge (sell),” he said.
“For Engie, it allows us to deliver firming capacity to our customers, entirely independent of any physical asset.”
While Engie has already reached offtake deals with fellow French energy company Neoen that give it virtual access to part of the 300 MW / 450 MWh Victoria Big Battery being developed near Geelong and the 270 MW / 540 MWh first stage of its Western Downs Battery in Queensland, Blanchy said the agreement with AGL is a first for the company in Australia.
“This is 100% virtual with no linkage to a specific BESS asset, unlike the deals we announced with Neoen, which were tied to their Victorian Big Battery and Western Down BESS,” he said.
“This is a landmark agreement and a milestone for our business and the Australian energy landscape. This advanced structure strengthens our suite of energy management services, offering more flexible solutions to market counterparts and large energy users in Australia.”
Virtual batteries are gaining popularity in Australia’s energy transition, allowing developers to lock in cashflow before construction is complete, and letting retailers and large corporates access storage benefits without heavy capex.
AGL’s general manager of trading and origination, Simon Sarafian, said such agreements can accelerate the energy giant’s battery energy storage system pipeline.
“This is a great example of how financial innovation and energy technology can work together to reshape Australia’s energy landscape,” he said.
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