With the growing popularity of solar panels in Australia, battery storage has steadily gained profitable growth in 2021, with cumulative installations rising to 1,089MWh, according to the market research firm SunWiz.
The battery storage fleet in the largest solar power country Australia has surpassed the 1GWh milestone for the first time. Out of the record capacity, up to 756MWh comprises of non-residential capacity and is especially used for utility-scale and front-of-the-meter projects.
As per SunWiz report, the non-residential battery system deployment in 2021 is driven combined by 450MWh Victorian Big Battery and 150MWh Wandoan South BESS. The target is much higher for 2022, with more batteries and battery plants currently under construction and set for being operational in months to come.
It’s the joint effort of state governments that backed big batteries like never before with new power purchase agreements, the creation of Renewable Energy Zones, funding contributions, and direct investment in the solar battery storage industry.
The record breaking capacity of battery storage came after a number of big batteries were announced in 2021 to boost the solar industry and energy efficiency initiative in Australia. The exact reason to focus on battery installations was to address the rising grid issues, ensure bulk storage issues, and miners take charge of the power supplies.
Bulk energy storage is more utilised by commercial businesses compared to the residential battery storage market, which stayed steady in 2021.
With the rebates and zero-interest loans provided by the Victorian Government, residential battery storage deployment is backed by the govt to ensure record installation and grid supplies are done.
Victoria represents 32% of the total battery installed capacity in Australia, followed by New South Wales and South Australia is adjudged third.
The solar market in Australia is ready for another successful and profitable year, with an estimate of more than 1GWh of new system installations on the way.
