While many energy companies talk about a green future, Snowy Hydro is actually making moves. The energy giant just locked in a 15-year virtual tolling agreement with TagEnergy for the Golden Plains Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). No capital investment needed, no construction headaches—just pure access to 150 MW of power and 600 MWh of storage capacity. Smart.
Snowy Hydro doesn’t just talk green—they’re securing real battery power without the hassle of building it themselves.
The battery system isn’t small potatoes. We’re talking about 168 Tesla Megapack XL 2.0 batteries that’ll be planted right next to the massive Golden Plains Wind Farm with its 215 turbines. Construction kicks off in late 2025, with the whole shebang scheduled to start pumping juice into the grid by late 2027. Because who doesn’t love waiting two years for their new toy to arrive?
This deal isn’t just another notch in Snowy Hydro’s belt. It’s part of their growing 2,200 MW portfolio of contracted renewable energy. They’re playing the long game—building themselves into an end-to-end energy powerhouse serving over 1.6 million customers. Not too shabby.
The four-hour duration battery system will do exactly what batteries are supposed to do—store energy when there’s too much and release it when there’s not enough. Revolutionary concept, right? But seriously, it’s critical for grid stability as Australia lurches toward renewable energy. This project comes as global battery storage capacity has exploded from just 0.5 GWh in 2010 to a staggering 526 GWh in 2020.
TagEnergy gets to be the responsible adult handling development and construction while Snowy reaps the benefits. Both companies are patting themselves on the back for making Victoria’s electricity supply more secure, flexible, and clean. Nice PR angle.
The battery complements Snowy Hydro’s other wind contracts with companies like Aula Energy. The company recently secured a significant long-term PPA with Aula Energy for 120 MW from Carmody’s Hill Wind Farm. It’s all part of the master plan. CEO Dennis Barnes emphasized that these agreements are vital for renewable energy support in Australia’s evolving power landscape. More renewables, more storage, more control over energy flows.
Victoria’s energy landscape is changing, and Snowy Hydro is making sure they’re holding the remote. Game on.
References
- https://www.power-technology.com/news/snowy-hydro-secures-wind-battery-contracts/
- https://asian-power.com/project/news/snowy-hydro-bags-wind-and-energy-storage-deals-in-australia
- https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/news/category/generation/power-purchase-agreements/
- https://goldenplainswindfarm.com.au/golden-plains-energy-storage-system/
- https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-1-5-gigawatt-wind-project-backed-by-local-farmers-and-with-big-battery-in-tow-hits-epbc-queue/
- https://infrastructurepipeline.org/project/golden-plains-wind-farm
