Credit: Twitter/Victoria Government

Australia’s largest solar-plus-storage project has come online in Victoria with Tesla batteries, proving that existing PV projects can be successfully retrofitted with battery storage.

The 25MW/50MWh battery is co-located and integrated with the 60MW Gannawarra Solar Farm, near Kerang, in the Northwest of Victoria. The battery is now owned by Edify Energy and its partner Wirsol, who developed the project.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio, who visited the project, said: “Big batteries help to stabilise our power grid and provide much-needed backup power – which is vital to maintaining a reliable and affordable energy supply for Victoria."

"By investing in renewable energy and storage technology, we are continuing to modernise our electricity grid, strengthen our energy security and deliver real action on climate change,” D'Ambrosio added.

The Andrews Labor Government has invested AU$25 million (US$17.25 million) into two big batteries in North Western Victoria – the Gannawarra Energy Storage System and the Ballarat Energy Storage System – help integrate new renewable energy into the Victorian grid and alleviate stress points in the electricity network.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency also provided AU$25 million to co-fund these projects, with close to AU$20 million investment from private equity.

This is Tesla’s second biggest battery in Australia and among the largest of its kind in the world. It can power 16,000 households for two hours during peak demand.