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ISSN 2753-7757 (Online)

New Zealand’s first grid-scale battery energy storage system

18/1/2023

News

Two engineers walking beside wind turbines in mountainous region, New Zealand Photo: Saft 
The new grid-scale storage system will improve the stability of New Zealand’s national grid as intermittent renewable power generation increases in the country

Photo: Saft

A large-scale grid-connected battery energy storage system is to be built at Ruakākā on North Island, thought to be the first of its kind in New Zealand.

The 100 MW storage system, which will be operated by Meridian Energy, aims to improve the stability of New Zealand’s national grid, as intermittent renewable power generation increases in the country.

 

A contract has been signed with Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, to provide a fully integrated solution for the Ruakākā site, including supply of battery and power conversion equipment, installation, commissioning and 20 years’ operational services.

 

Scheduled to enter service in 2H2024, the battery storage system will have storage capacity of 200 MWh to support the local grid demand for around two hours.

 

The system is the first stage of a project that will also include the construction of a co-located 130 MW solar farm.