Projects & Applications

Akaysha Energy powers up Australian 430 MWh grid-forming battery five months early

The 205 MW/410 MWh Brendale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the state of Queensland has entered commercial operations. The project features the Tesla Megapack 2 batteries with grid-forming tech.

By

Tristan Rayner

Jan 20, 2026

Akaysha Energy announced this week that its Brendale battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland, Australia, is fully operational, bringing the 205 MW/410 MWh facility online close to five months ahead of schedule.

The project connects to the South Pine substation in Brisbane – the host of the 2032 Summer Olympics – to provide energy arbitrage and frequency control ancillary services (FCAS).

Akaysha had earlier reached a final investment decision (FID) on the project in late 2023 and began construction in August 2024.

The system utilizes Tesla’s Megapack 2 technology, featuring lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and grid-forming capabilities. These units provide virtual inertia for network stability when required, with a host of technology features in the PCS. The company thanked partners in its statement, with CEO Nick Carter saying, “We’re grateful to our project partners Consolidated Power Projects Australia, Tesla, Wilson Transformer Company, Powerlink and our offtaker Gunvor Group, who have all played an integral part in bringing Brendale BESS online ahead of schedule.”

Revenue for the battery is underpinned by a long-term swap agreement with multinational company and trader Gunvor Group. That contract secures offtaker revenue with additional merchant exposure, allowing Akaysha to optimize bidding strategies.

While Brendale was delivered without issue, Akaysha has faced equipment challenges elsewhere. Its flagship Waratah Super Battery project, set to be its first to reach operation, suffered a “catastrophic failure” of a high-voltage transformer—also supplied by Wilson—during testing, delaying the 850 MW/1,680 MWh facility.

Brendale follows the recent energization of the first 155 MW/298 MWh phase of Akaysha’s Ulinda Park battery in Queensland, which the company plans to expand with a further 195 MW/780 MWh. Melbourne-based Akaysha, acquired by investment giant BlackRock in 2022, has a portfolio of 11 battery projects in Australia.

Written by

Tristan Rayner

Tristan is an Electrical Engineer with experience in consulting and public sector works in plant procurement. He has previously been Managing Editor and Founding Editor of tech and other publications in Australia.

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