Australian Government is backing a longer-duration energy storage project to help power South Australia

New Delhi: The Australian Government is backing a longer-duration energy storage project to help power South Australia.

The government will provide $5.7 million through ARENA to install an 8 MWh utility-scale vanadium flow battery alongside a 6MW solar PV array near the Flinders Ranges.

The $20.3 million project will deliver solar-generated electricity on demand. Located in the SA Power Networks distribution network, the project will be connected to the National Electricity Market and will help South Australia’s energy security.

Vanadium flow batteries, developed in Australia, are a form of heavy-duty stationary energy storage that do not degrade over time like conventional lithium-ion batteries, and have a longer life span. The Hon Angus Taylor MP, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, said longer duration energy storage is one of 5 priority technologies identified in the government’s Technology Investment Roadmap.‘Longer duration energy storage is a key focus because it will enable reliable, firmed wind and solar at prices around the average wholesale electricity price of today.’ The first power generated from the project is expected to flow by early 2022.