Spotlight on New Zealand: Battery storage capacity expands as
While hydro still rules, New Zealand is starting to take battery storage seriously, especially on the North Island.
Meridian Energy has officially opened New Zealand's first large-scale grid battery storage system at Ruakākā, the first of its kind, and a milestone in the country's renewable energy infrastructure development. The Ruakākā Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) delivers 100 megawatts (MW) of maximum output with 200 MW-hour storage capacity.
The NZ Battery Project was set up in 2020 to explore possible renewable energy storage solutions for when our hydro lakes run low for long periods. A pumped hydro scheme at Lake Onslow was one of the options being explored. The Government stopped the Lake Onslow investigations in late 2023.
WEL Networks and Infratec are proud to announce the launch of New Zealand's largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with commissioning underway.
Energy type: Battery storing electricity generated by New Zealand's hydro, geothermal and wind power stations when there is low demand. Construction: Begun July 2024 with the battery expected to be operational by March 2026.
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