Three battery storage projects and three Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) have been announced winners in the Federal-backed NSW Firming Tender.
Observations:
- The >1GW total capacity is almost triple the initial 380MW when launched, and greater in size (930MW) when subsequently bolstered by the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS).
- A BESS project near Wellington was successful, despite the intended focus on the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong region.
- Support for a VPP could reflect the government’s appetite for innovation.
- Speed to market was critical for success in this tender.
The results suggest the scope is flexible to accommodate valuable capacity if it is fast-to-market and in the right location. Stride also finds projects accelerate by participating in these tender processes and can get a boost (and some feedback) even if they don’t win this time round.
AEMO Services Ltd is interested in meeting with proponents to discuss their projects for future tenders.
| Successful Project | Proponent | Power (MW) | Duration (hr) | |
| 1 | Liddell BESS | AGL | 500 | 2 |
| 2 | Orana BESS | Akaysha | 415 | 4 |
| 3 | Smithfield BESS | Ibedrola | 65 | 2 |
| 4 | VPP | Enel X | 95 | > 2 |