Horizon Power is installing and integrating a new power station facility in Western Australia to expand its battery storage capabilities.
The company will continue to develop its utility-scale energy storage capabilities in regional WA through the ongoing trial in Carnarvon and more recently in Onslow, where a one megawatt storage system is being installed and integrated into the new power station facility which is about to be commissioned.
The batteries under trial in Carnarvon are providing an exciting learning platform for Horizon Power as they respond to real life operating scenarios like generator trips and network faults.
The Carnarvon batteries have demonstrated their ability to instantly discharge large amounts of energy (up to two megawatts) to help stabilise the system when transient events like a generator trip occur.
Horizon Power General Manager Power System Services, Laurie Curro, said the utility had already leveraged off early learnings from the Carnarvon trial to help inform the next generation of integration, which is about to be demonstrated in Onslow.
“The one megawatt battery storage system in Onslow will primarily be used to optimise spinning reserve at the station, saving on fuel and generator run hours whilst also enhancing reliability for the town,” Mr Curro said.
Mr Curro said in the longer term, Horizon Power also plans to install an additional one megawatt battery in the Onslow network which will offer a more diverse range of operating modes and functions like solar smoothing for increased renewables and peak load shifting.
“Having the ability to effectively integrate utility-scale batteries in remote islanded
microgrid systems is recognised as another part of Horizon Power’s developing
toolkit for more efficient operation and for enabling more renewables.”
