New Zealand high voltage energy storage solar container lithium battery assembly

Which energy company is building New Zealand''s first grid-connected battery energy storage system?

Meridian Energy is building New Zealand’s first large-scale grid-connected battery energy storage system (BESS) at Ruakākā on North Island Paris, January 10, 2023 – Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, has been awarded a major contract by Meridian Energy to construct New Zealand’s first large-scale grid-connected BESS.

What types of batteries are used in New Zealand?

The most common forms in use in New Zealand are electric vehicle batteries and stationary batteries integrated with rooftop solar installations. 2.17. Consumers with small-scale BESSs have the opportunity to be active participants in the power system.

Will a 100-megawatt solar farm improve New Zealand''s national grid?

Located at Ruakākā in the country’s North Island, the 100-megawatt (MW) BESS will improve the stability of the national grid, as intermittent renewable power generation increases in New Zealand. The BESS is the first stage of a project that will include the construction of a co-located 130 MW solar farm by Meridian Energy.

What are ESS batteries & how do they work in New Zealand?

They are the most common new form of ESS connecting to New Zealand’s power system. The cost of BESSs has fallen over the past several years, and they are now more prevalent, in the form of either electric vehicle batteries or stationary batteries.