RWE Limondale BESS cleared for full eight‑hour operation
- AEMO and Transgrid approved Limondale BESS to move from commissioning to full operations.
- System comprises 144 Tesla Megapacks, registered to charge at 100 MW and discharge at 50 MW.
- Can deliver registered maximum discharge for more than eight hours, equating to at least 400 MWh — Australia’s longest‑duration battery in operation.
- Project sized to eight hours under NSW’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap; received the first LDS Long‑Term Energy Service Agreement from ASL; partners include Tesla, Beon, Lumea and Transgrid.
Operational clearance
RWE has received sign‑off from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Transmission Network Service Provider Transgrid to operate the Limondale Battery Energy Storage System at full capacity. The installation comprises 144 Tesla Megapacks registered to charge at 100 megawatts (MW) and discharge at 50 MW, and can deliver its registered maximum discharge for more than eight hours — equivalent to at least 400 megawatt hours (MWh), making it the longest‑duration battery currently operating in Australia.
Testing and grid role
Following commissioning the battery successfully passed grid compliance and performance tests and is now delivering maximum output. Located adjacent to the Limondale Solar Farm near Balranald, New South Wales, the BESS is intended to reduce network pressures during peak demand and support a more flexible and secure electricity system.
Project context and partners
The project was sized at eight hours in response to the New South Wales Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and was the first to receive a Long‑Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA) from ASL in the initial long‑duration storage tender. RWE delivered the project with partners including Tesla, Beon Energy Solutions, Lumea and Transgrid.
Executive comment
Sopna Sury, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, said the Limondale BESS advances long‑duration energy storage, strengthens grid stability, supports a secure energy supply and enables more efficient use of renewable energy, and thanked the project team, partners, the NSW government and AEMO for their collaboration.
Source: RWE
