CleanPeak to deploy 30 MW/120 MWh battery for airport in Australia
Renewables developer and operator CleanPeak Energy has signed a long-term electricity supply agreement that will ensure the new AUD 5.3 billion Western Sydney International Airport precinct will operate on 100% renewable electricity when passenger services begin later this year.
With WSI, located about 45 km west of Sydney’s CBD, scheduled to commence full operations in October, CleanPeak has struck a seven-year deal to supply all of the airport’s electricity requirements through a combination of onsite solar generation and energy storage, together with additional supply from the company’s growing portfolio of solar farms.
Under the agreement, CleanPeak will develop approximately 9 MW of additional solar generation on site, including a 4.95 MW system on the existing cargo terminal rooftop as well as another 4 MW to be delivered on a second cargo terminal rooftop. The company will also build a 30 MW, four-hour capacity battery energy storage system, planned for delivery in 2027.
Sydney-based CleanPeak will also lease, operate and maintain WSI’s existing 4.5 MW rooftop solar system, and operate the embedded network to distribute electricity across the site.
CleanPeak CEO Philip Graham said the project demonstrates how critical infrastructure can transition to renewable energy without compromising reliability or performance.
“This project is about unlocking what’s possible when large-scale energy infrastructure is designed, financed and operated as an integrated energy system to power critical assets like airports without compromising performance,” he said. “CleanPeak is enabling the airport to run on 100% renewable electricity by investing at the site to optimize local energy infrastructure as well as developing additional solar farms to deliver the scale of energy required to ensure the airport runs 24/7 with renewable electricity.”
The integrated rooftop solar and battery energy storage system is expected to generate more than 18 GWh of on-site renewable electricity each year but CleanPeak said the solution has been specifically designed to allow for expansion.
“As WSI’s electricity demand grows, [we] will continue to add new build solar farms into our development portfolio across New South Wales, ensuring sufficient renewable generation is available to meet increasing electricity requirements at the site,” the company said.
WSI’s electricity requirements are expected to grow to about 120 GWh per annum within the next five years with the new airport set to serve up to 10 million passengers annually.
WSI Chief Executive Officer Simon Hickey said the partnership with CleanPeak demonstrates how renewable electricity, battery storage and embedded network infrastructure can be combined to meet the demanding operational requirements of major airports and other large-scale energy users.
“The energy system they will manage represents a landmark commitment to achieving net zero scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions for WSI, showcasing the low-carbon future airports can champion as pivotal pieces of major infrastructure,” he said.
In addition to signing an electricity supply agreement, WSI has also tapped ground support equipment (GSE) provider Freightquip to supply and operate an almost entirely electrified GSE fleet covering the full scope of airport operations.
The partnership with Freightquip will deliver equipment for aircraft turnaround operations, including belt loaders, cargo loaders, baggage tractors, and pushback equipment with a shared fleet model for all ground handlers.
“We’ve already installed 34 electric chargers supporting sustainable ground operations,” Hickey said. “By combining GSE pooling with a predominantly electric fleet, WSI is modernising ground operations, improving fleet utilisation, safety and ultimately reducing the environmental impact of our operations.”
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