CIP breaks ground on 960 MWh battery in South Australia

CIP has issued a notice to proceed with construction of the 240 MW, four-hour Summerfield battery energy storage system being developed near Mannum, in South Australia’s Murrayfields region.

The project is being built on land at Tepko, around 60 km east of state capital Adelaide. CIP said the site is “strategically positioned” near the Tungkillo switching station and the Heywood interconnector which connects the electricity grids in South Australia and Victoria.

The investor said the project, that includes the development of electricity transmission infrastructure, will play an important role in addressing Australia’s rapidly growing need for energy storage capacity to maintain grid reliability and stability.

“The battery will support the South Australian government’s target of 100% net renewable energy by 2027, shifting excess wind and solar energy generated during the day to supply renewable power during peak demand periods,” the company said.

Sino-Canadian PV and battery manufacturer Canadian Solar’s e-Storage subsidiary has been appointed construction partner for the Summerfield project and will build and operate the battery. The project will feature the company’s SolBank battery technology.

Jorn Hammer, partner and head of CIP Australia, said Summerfield is the first of multiple large-scale battery projects the company has planned for Australia. “Australia needs large-scale battery energy storage solutions to stabilize the grid and deliver affordable power to homes and businesses when needed most,” he said. “This is a significant milestone for the Summerfield project and CIP’s broader renewable energy pipeline in Australia.”

CIP’s local pipeline represents more than AUD 100 billion ($62.7 billion) in capital investment across battery energy storage, offshore and onshore wind, renewable hydrogen, and pumped hydro. “CIP has a track record of developing, owning and operating renewable projects globally, and we are delighted to bring this expertise to Australia,” Hammer said.

The Summerfield battery is supported by a 10-year offtake agreement with Origin Energy, a deal the electricity generator and retailer said increases its owned and contracted battery portfolio to more than 1.7 GW.

“The Summerfield offtake delivers Origin a portfolio of owned or contracted battery developments in each of Australia’s National Electricity Market states,” Origin said, referring to Australia’s main grid. “These assets will play an important role in firming renewables and helping maintain reliable power supply for Australians, consistent with our ambition to lead Australia’s energy transition.

From pv magazine Australia.