Wärtsilä, a global technology group, has secured a contract from Origin Energy to deliver the second phase of the Eraring battery facility.
Located at Origin’s Eraring Power Station in New South Wales, Australia, this expansion will add 240 MW/1030 MWh of energy storage capacity, bringing the facility’s total capacity to an impressive 700 MW/2103 MWh.
Wärtsilä was also chosen to deliver the first stage of the project in Q2 2023, which is currently underway.
Continued Partnership for Decarbonization Goals
Andrew Tang, Vice President of Energy Storage & Optimization at Wärtsilä, expressed appreciation for Origin’s continued trust in their ability to deliver large-scale energy storage projects.
He stated, “We are honored to be supporting Origin’s decarbonization goals with this groundbreaking project.”
Advanced Grid Stability and Security Features
The second stage of the battery energy storage system will operate in Virtual Synchronous Machine (VISMA) mode, enabling essential grid stability and security features.
These include short-circuit current capabilities, reactive current control, droop control, and synthetic inertia.
Wärtsilä’s intelligent energy management system, the GEMS Digital Energy Platform, will facilitate these system strength support services.
Next-Generation Battery Technology and Long-Term Service
Wärtsilä’s Quantum High Energy (QuantumHE) technology, a cutting-edge energy storage system known for its advanced safety features and energy density, will be used for the second stage.
QuantumHE offers increased energy density while reducing equipment costs, accelerating project development, and minimizing maintenance requirements. Wärtsilä will also provide a long-term service agreement (LTSA) for the equipment supplied to Origin.
Construction and Operational Timelines
Construction for the second stage is set to commence in early 2025, with completion expected at the beginning of 2027.
Meanwhile, Wärtsilä is actively delivering the first stage of the Eraring battery, totaling 460 MW/1073 MWh, which is on track to reach commercial operation by the end of 2025.