Australia adds over 5 GW of long‑duration battery storage through SA tender and new Orana BESS

South Australia’s Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM) Tender Round 1 awarded six long‑duration battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totaling 1,334 MW / 5,336 MWh. The contracts, granted to developers including Neoen Australia, Ampyr Energy, Iberdrola, Akaysha Energy and ZEBRE, will more than double the state’s large‑scale battery capacity and represent about US$1.5 bn of local investment. The projects are expected to deliver 3 GWh of output by November 2028 and a further 1.136 GWh by November 2029, strengthening system reliability as renewable generation supplies over 70 % of South Australia’s electricity.

In New South Wales, Akaysha Energy’s Orana battery energy storage system reached full output on 29 May. The 415 MW / 1,660 MWh facility, built with 448 Tesla Megapack 2 units, is now the third‑largest battery in the National Electricity Market. Financing of AU$650 million was provided by a consortium of banks, and the BESS is supported by a 12‑year virtual tolling agreement with EnergyAustralia and a Long‑Term Energy Service Agreement under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. The Orana commissioning adds to Akaysha’s portfolio of 1.4 GWh operational storage, 4.5 GWh under construction, and a pipeline of about 30 GWh globally.