Energy giant Origin Energy has acquired a stake in a Newcastle-based clean tech company to pilot a battery at their Eraring Power Station.
Origin has a 5 per cent equity interest in Allegro Energy.
Allegro Energy produces Redox Flow Batteries. The battery has a water-based electrolyte as the solution inside the battery which it makes the battery cheaper, easier, non-toxic and less carbon intensive to manufacture.
Origin’s head of energy supply and operations, Greg Jarvis said they believe they have made an investment in a very promising technology.
“We believe long duration storage will ultimately play an important role in the energy mix, and we look forward to watching the progress of this trial and seeing how this technology could complement other storage projects within Origin’s portfolio.
“Long duration storage could supplement the high demand peak period covered by the 460MW Eraring battery currently under development and add to the overnight generation availability provided by the Shoalhaven Hydro Scheme.”
In taking a stake in Allegro, Origin has agreed to a pilot of their long duration water-based battery at their power station at Lake Macquarie.
Once an initial 100 kilowatt battery is deployed successfully at the power station, a 5-megawatt battery is planned which will provide 12 hours of energy storage capacity.
Work is expected to being in August with the battery commissioned in late 2024.
In addition to that, Origin confirmed a $600 million investment to support delivery of the first stage of a large-scale battery Eraring back in April this year. Works on the 460 MW two-hour dispatch duration battery storage are expected to commence in July 2023.