The results of the New South Wales (NSW) long duration storage tender have shown that an eight-hour battery outperforms pumped hydro in energy storage capacity. This is a significant finding that could have major implications for the future of energy storage in Australia and beyond.
The NSW government launched the long duration storage tender in 2020, with the aim of finding innovative solutions to store renewable energy generated by wind and solar farms. The tender attracted a range of proposals, including pumped hydro, batteries, and hydrogen storage.
After a rigorous evaluation process, the NSW government announced the winners of the tender in May 2021. The successful projects included a 100 MW/400 MWh battery storage system proposed by Neoen, a 100 MW/200 MWh battery storage system proposed by CEP Energy, and a 250 MW/2,000 MWh pumped hydro project proposed by UPC/AC Renewables.
One of the most interesting findings from the tender was that the eight-hour battery proposed by Neoen outperformed the pumped hydro project in terms of energy storage capacity. The Neoen battery has a capacity of 400 MWh, which is twice as much as the pumped hydro project’s capacity of 200 MWh.
This result challenges the conventional wisdom that pumped hydro is the most efficient and cost-effective form of long duration energy storage. Pumped hydro involves pumping water uphill during times of low demand and releasing it downhill to generate electricity during times of high demand. While this technology has been used for decades, it requires specific geographic conditions and can be expensive to build.
Batteries, on the other hand, are more flexible and can be located closer to where the energy is needed. They can also be charged and discharged more quickly than pumped hydro, making them better suited to storing energy from intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar.
The NSW government’s decision to award contracts to both battery and pumped hydro projects shows that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to energy storage. Different technologies will be better suited to different locations and applications.
However, the success of the Neoen battery project highlights the potential of batteries to play a larger role in long duration energy storage. As the cost of battery technology continues to fall, we can expect to see more large-scale battery projects being developed around the world.
Overall, the NSW long duration storage tender results are a positive sign for the future of renewable energy storage. By encouraging innovation and competition, the tender has helped to identify new solutions that could help to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy system.
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- Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoData