Learn
We have developed a Learning Hub to support local schools with curriculum-linked content about electricity and renewable energy.
Take a look at the stand-alone website which features videos, interactive game & lesson plans for upper primary & lower secondary students.
neoenlearning.com
WHAT CAN A BIG BATTERY DO?
Like a Swiss army knife, a big battery can do many things.
BASIC FUNCTION
When there is excess energy, the battery will charge. When there is high demand for energy, the battery will discharge.
FREQUENCY SUPPORT
To maintain the stability of the system, the grid has frequency control. The battery injects electricity in response to frequency changes. The battery will also add competition to the markets which helps reduce consumer electricity prices, helping to reduce electricity costs.
VIRTUAL INERTIA
As with vehicle suspension on an uneven road, inertia services are essential for stabilising the grid. A big battery can enable the advanced power inverters to emulate the existing inertia services being supplied by an ageing fleet of fossil fuel power plants. This service is currently being trialled at Hornsdale Power Reserve.
NETWORK SUPPORT
Grid-scale batteries can provide dynamic warp-speed responses so existing transmission lines can operate at full capacity. Like adding another lane to a freeway, the battery can unlock additional capacity on existing transmission networks – saving customers millions of dollars in expensive transmission line upgrades.
FIRMING RENEWABLES
Along with wind and solar technologies, large-scale batteries help to firm variable renewable energy. Batteries are an essential component in the stable transition to clean electricity and achieving emissions reduction targets.
CASE STUDY: SA BIG BATTERY
The fast ramping capability of the Tesla Powerpacks used at the Hornsdale Power Reserve (HPR) allows the facility to dispatch large amounts of power quickly and reliably. This means it can support the South Australian electricity grid and deliver major cost savings by providing frequency control and short-term network security services.
In 2019, HPR reduced costs in the National Electricity Market by $116M through the provision of Contingency and Regulation Frequency Control Ancillary Services.
© 2024 Neoen
Acknowledgement of Country artwork: ‘Celebrating Renewal’ by Teho Ropeyarn, 2022
