PVTIME – Australian energy operator Alinta Energy has brought its 100MW/200MWh Wagerup battery energy storage system into full commercial service. Located next to a major aluminium refinery in Western Australia, this large-scale, behind-the-meter asset meets the power needs of an energy-intensive industrial consumer.
The two-hour battery is designed to stabilise the local smelting complex’s volatile electricity load profile. By discharging stored power during periods of peak demand, it reduces costly grid electricity purchases and eases strain on the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). Complex site remediation work was required to construct the facility, including platform elevation and heavy retaining wall structures, to tackle difficult ground conditions.
In addition to delivering cost benefits to the aluminium refinery, the installation provides ancillary grid stabilisation services. It enhances power system flexibility while facilitating the integration of more variable renewable energy sources into Western Australia’s southwest power network. The operational Wagerup battery also paves the way for Alinta’s future expansion plans for energy storage at the same site.
