Fotowatio Renewable Ventures Australia has announced that it has commenced construction of its first standalone battery energy storage system in the country following financial close.

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) Australia has announced financial close and construction commencement for its 100MW/200MWh Terang Battery energy storage system, which is being built in south-west Victoria.

FRV said the battery will be built on a 1.4-hectare site about two kilometres north-east of Terang in Victoria’s Western District, with construction management being entrusted to e-STORAGE, Canadian Solar’s ​​specialist battery business.

FRV Australia CEO Carlo Frigerio said achieving financial close on the Terang battery project is a significant milestone for the company’s operations in Australia.

“Reaching financial close on our first large battery is a huge achievement for FRV Australia,” he said.

“This project demonstrates our commitment to various renewable energy technologies and strengthens our position in the renewable energy sector. It paves the way for future innovation and growth in our portfolio.”

The Terang battery financing is part of a $1.2 billion ($780 million) portfolio refinancing announced by FRV last week. The project will also receive $7 million in funding from the Victorian government to support the installation of grid-connected inverters.

FRV said the Terang battery is located in a “strong and strategic” part of the National Electricity Market and will be connected to grid-connected inverters to deliver system-level services to the grid. The developer said connection agreements had already been signed with Victorian grid operator AusNet.

The Terang battery is the first large-scale standalone FRV battery project in Australia. It follows the commissioning of a 2.5MW/5MWh battery system delivered as part of the Dalby Hybrid Power Station in Queensland. The company is also developing the 250MW/500MWh Gnarwarre battery project in Victoria.

FRV Australia, a subsidiary of Saudi investment fund Abdul Latif Jameel Energy and Canadian infrastructure fund Omers, has more than 1GW of solar assets built or under construction across 10 projects in Australia, including the 300MW Walla Walla solar farm under construction in New South Wales.

This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to collaborate with us and want to reuse some of our content, please contact us: [email protected].

Popular content