Technology group Wärtsilä has completed construction at the Torrens Island Grid Scale battery energy storage systemwith AGL Energy Limited, one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies. The 250-megawatt  / 250 megawatt-hour  ESS installed at Torrens Island in South Australia is the second-largest operational battery in the country.

The project delivers a major step towards Australia’s renewable energy future, supporting the nation’s decarbonisation goals. The flexible capacity provided by Wärtsilä’s advanced ESS balances the supply of energy from renewable sources, maintaining the stability and reliability of the grid. The ESS will provide enough electricity to power approximately 75,000 South Australian homes for one hour, with the potential to extend the duration to four hours in the future.

“Australia’s energy transition is all about balance. Wärtsilä is partnering with AGL to help balance intermittency of renewables and provide flexible energy capacity, while reducing their operational and lifetime costs. This landmark project is helping Australia take a major step towards a 100% renewable grid and its net-zero emissions target. We’re proud to say our energy storage system is helping to maintain reliable and affordable electricity for South Australians,” said Andrew Tang, Vice President of Energy Storage & Optimisation at Wärtsilä.

The Torrens Island system will operate in grid-following mode, transitioning to grid-forming mode (virtual synchronous generation – VSG) later. This groundbreaking feature makes it the largest energy storage solution capable of operating in VSG mode, enabling fast response times and future-proofing operations for the Torrens Island facility. The solution is supported by Wärtsilä’s advanced GEMS Power Plant Controller.

AGL Chief Executive Officer, Damien Nicks said, “This is a significant milestone in AGL’s transition journey as we continue to accelerate the build out of up to 12 GW of renewable and firming capacity by 2035, playing our part in Australia’s energy transition. We are taking action to deliver on our transition goals – this battery was constructed within 18 months – a great example of what can be achieved when government, regulators and the private sector are all working together.”

“Wärtsilä is proud to be part of this monumental effort, driving a sustainable energy transformation in Australia and beyond,” said Frederic Carron, Vice President, Middle East and Asia at Wärtsilä. “We are steadfast in our commitment to providing innovative, efficient and reliable energy solutions that accelerate the world’s transition to renewable energy.”

The Torrens Island ESS is the latest of Wärtsilä’s projects supporting Australia’s decarbonisation goals. Wärtsilä has previously supplied a 211 MW balancing power plant for AGL, the Barker Inlet Power Station, also located on Torrens Island. The company is also delivering a 460 MW battery in partnership with Origin, at the Eraring Power Station, to support energy security and reliability in New South Wales.