Flow Power has reached financial close on its first large-scale BESS, supported by majority shareholder, OPTrust.
This will see the renewable energy developer and retailer install the 100MW Bennetts Creek BESS near the demolished Hazelwood coal-fired power plant in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria.
Wärtsilä will provide the battery technology and intelligent control systems for Bennetts Creek, with Zenviron handling the balance of plant design, construction, installation and commissioning. The project is set to be completed in 2028.
“Bennetts Creek is our 11th project to date, and first large-scale stand-alone battery,” Flow Power chief financial officer and chief operating officer Byron Serjeantson said.
“Once operational, the project will help us provide more homes and businesses with access to innovative, firmed renewable energy products, as well as strengthen our growing project portfolio across the National Electricity Market.”
Bennetts Creek forms part of Flow Power’s goal to turn retail customers into participants in the energy transition.
“With projects such as Bennetts Creek adding large‑scale storage to Flow Power’s renewable portfolio, the company is able to underwrite and expand innovative retail offerings that reward customers for supporting the grid at critical times,” the company said.
“This capability underpins Flow Power’s residential product, ‘Flow Home’, which now offers an up to 45c/kWh feed‑in tariff between 5:30pm and 7:30pm, paying a premium when exports are most valuable and secured by Bennetts Creek and Flow Power’s broader portfolio of renewable generation assets.”
Launched in November 2024, Flow Home is Australia’s first “tech-integrated” electricity plan.
“Australia’s energy system is currently undergoing a profound transition to renewables from legacy fossil fuel generation technologies,” Flow Power chief executive officer and founder Matthew van der Linden said.
“By 2050, the National Electricity Market (NEM) will need to double its generation capacity to replace coal, and most of this is projected to come from energy systems in our homes like solar.
“The role of the energy consumer is pivotal – no longer just passive consumers of energy, they will become active participants, their homes and businesses acting as mini power stations that both consume and generate power.”
Linden said Flow Power believes that every home can be a part of the renewable energy revolution.
“Flow Home will deliver two key enablers to the market to create a consumer-driven energy movement,” he said.
“One is technology, starting with tools that allow consumers to manage their energy use with precision and impact, moving rapidly to AI and automation in 2025, to make it easy and available en masse.
“The other key enabler is price. Price efficient use is crucial; consumers should have the flexibility to choose what they pay for energy. Instead of being locked into a fixed rate, they should have the option to take advantage of lower prices when available and avoid higher costs when possible.”
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