Wartsila Supporting Major Australian Energy Storage System – POWER Magazine

Wärtsilä’s Advanced Energy Storage Project in Australia: A Catalyst for Sustainable Development Goals

Project Overview and Contribution to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

A report on the recent initiative by technology group Wärtsilä indicates a significant advancement in Australia’s renewable energy infrastructure. The company is set to deliver the largest DC-coupled hybrid Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) within the National Electricity Market (NEM). This project directly supports the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix and enhancing energy efficiency.

• Project Scope: The installation will be Wärtsilä’s ninth BESS site in Australia, expanding the company’s operational capacity in the country to 1.5 GW / 5.5 GWh.
• Operational Timeline: The system is scheduled to become operational in 2028.
• SDG 7 Impact: By integrating a large-scale storage system with renewable generation, the project ensures a more reliable and consistent supply of clean energy, making it more affordable and accessible, which is a key target of SDG 7.

Technological Innovation and Alignment with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The project’s architecture, featuring a DC-coupled system, represents a critical technological innovation for renewable energy integration. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by promoting clean and environmentally sound technologies and upgrading infrastructure to make it sustainable and resilient.

1. Minimized Energy Losses: The DC-coupled design directly links solar generation with battery storage, significantly reducing energy conversion losses that would otherwise occur.
2. Improved Economic Viability: The architecture captures solar power that would otherwise be curtailed, thereby improving project economics and promoting financial sustainability for renewable energy projects.
3. Enhanced System Efficiency: The hybrid configuration improves overall system efficiency and contributes to the stability of the power grid, a cornerstone of resilient infrastructure as outlined in SDG 9.

Climate Action and Grid Stability for Sustainable Communities (SDG 13 & SDG 11)

This initiative is a direct contribution to Australia’s national climate targets, including the goal of achieving net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2045. This commitment is central to Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action). Furthermore, by ensuring grid stability, the project supports Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by providing safe, reliable, and sustainable energy systems.

• Decarbonization: The project is a prime example of a hybrid solution that advances decarbonization goals by enabling greater penetration of renewable energy sources.
• Regulatory Compliance: The project has secured Generator Performance Standards (GPS) approval, a critical milestone for integrating renewable generation and storage at scale, ensuring it contributes positively to grid stability.
• Intelligent Control Systems: Wärtsilä’s GEMS software will manage the integration of the solar and storage assets, optimizing power control and energy management to meet grid requirements, thereby strengthening national climate action strategies (SDG 13) and building resilient community infrastructure (SDG 11).

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article’s primary focus is on a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) designed to work with renewable energy (solar generation). This directly supports the transition to clean energy sources.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The project involves building new, resilient energy infrastructure (the BESS) and utilizes innovative technologies like DC-coupling and the GEMS software to upgrade the national electricity grid, making it more efficient and stable.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article explicitly states that the project will “contribute directly to Australia’s target of net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2045” and helps in “advancing decarbonisation goals,” which are core objectives of climate action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
  • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article discusses a project that integrates solar generation with battery storage, which is crucial for increasing the reliability and share of renewable energy in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM).
  • Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. The article mentions that the DC-coupled architecture “minimizes energy losses” and improves “system efficiency,” directly contributing to this target.
  • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. The project is an example of a technology group (Wärtsilä) investing in and delivering advanced clean energy technology and infrastructure to Australia.
• Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
  • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The project aims to improve the “overall stability of the power grid,” making the energy infrastructure more reliable and resilient to handle the intermittency of renewable sources.
  • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable… with greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. The BESS project is a clear example of upgrading energy infrastructure with a clean and innovative technology to support decarbonization.
• Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The project is a direct implementation of a national climate policy, as it is designed to help meet “Australia’s target of net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2045.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 7.2:
  • Indicator: The article mentions Wärtsilä’s footprint in Australia will expand to “1.5 GW/5.5 GWh of capacity.” This quantifiable measure of installed energy storage capacity directly indicates an increased ability to integrate renewable energy into the grid.
• For Target 7.3:
  • Indicator: The article implies progress through qualitative descriptions such as the system’s ability to “minimize energy losses” and improve “system efficiency.” These point toward a reduction in energy intensity, a key aspect of this target.
• For Target 9.1 & 9.4:
  • Indicator: The project itself, described as the “largest DC-coupled hybrid battery energy storage system (BESS) in the National Electricity Market,” serves as an indicator of the scale of investment in and adoption of resilient, sustainable, and clean infrastructure technology.
• For Target 13.2:
  • Indicator: The article explicitly references “Australia’s target of net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2045.” The development of projects like this BESS is a tangible indicator of actions being taken to meet this national climate policy.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: powermag.com