RWE Renewables has achieved a major milestone with the successful registration of Australia’s first eight-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), located at the Limondale Solar Farm near Balranald in New South Wales.
The Limondale BESS, comprising 144 Tesla Megapacks , has a capacity of over 50MW and 400MWh, making it the longest duration gridscale battery operating in the country.
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This milestone marks the transition from construction into hold point testing, with the system expected to be fully commissioned by the end of this year.
The project was the first recipient of a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA) under New South Wales’ Long Duration Storage tender, highlighting its critical role in supporting the state’s energy transition.
Once fully operational, the Limondale BESS will store excess renewable energy generated during the day and dispatch it into the grid when demand is high, improving grid stability and enabling greater use of renewables in the energy mix.
RWE Renewables Australia CEO Daniel Belton said, “The registration of the Limondale BESS marks a defining moment for long-duration battery storage in Australia. We are proud to bring our global expertise to deliver this pioneering project, which will support New South Wales’ shift to cleaner, more reliable energy.
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“Battery storage is a key enabler of the energy transition. With projects like Limondale BESS, RWE is helping to unlock the full value of renewable generation by ensuring energy is available when it’s needed most.”
RWE Renewables Australia senior construction manager Malcolm Sherrington said, “RWE would like to congratulate and thank our project partners Tesla, Beon, Lumea, and TransGrid for working with us to deliver Australia’s first eight-hour battery and reaching another milestone in this important project for New South Wales energy supply.”
