The Western Australian government’s clean energy initiative has reached a significant milestone with the completion of the second Kwinana big battery, coinciding with the state breaking renewable energy records in November.
The $661 million Kwinana Battery Energy Storage System stage two, which began construction in July 2023, is now complete and set to be operational before Christmas.
The project, supporting approximately 200 construction jobs, features 288 shipping container-sized battery modules and 72 inverter units, boasting 800 megawatt-hours of storage and 200 megawatts of capacity.
This development comes as Western Australia’s main electricity grid, the South West Interconnected System, achieved a new renewable energy record on November 17, with renewables peaking at 85.1 per cent of energy production.
Since 2017, the WA state government has more than doubled the renewable energy contribution to the grid, increasing from 14 per cent to over 34 per cent in 2023.
This investment in battery systems is expected to further boost renewable energy usage, including rooftop solar, while ensuring affordable and reliable energy for the state.
Once operational, Synergy’s two big batteries in Kwinana will have the capacity to power 450,000 households for up to four hours throughout Perth and beyond.
These batteries complement other significant energy storage projects in the state, including Neoen’s 560MW/2,240MWh battery unit in Collie and the upcoming Collie Battery Energy Storage System.
Premier Roger Cook highlighted the importance of this project, stating: “Our clean energy plan is setting up WA for the future and locking in affordable and reliable energy for every Western Australian.
“We’re smashing renewable energy records because of our Labor government’s significant investment into the energy transition.”
Energy Minister Reece Whitby added: “With the completion of Synergy‘s second Kwinana battery, we are delivering on our promise to provide Western Australians with power that is clean, affordable, and reliable.
“It won’t just soak up excess rooftop solar and onshore wind during the day — it will provide electricity in the evening, when the sun doesn’t shine, and the wind doesn’t blow.”
The state government is investing more than $5.4 billion in Western Australia’s energy transition, aiming to phase out coal by 2030 while maintaining a reliable and stable energy system.
