Learn
We have developed a Learning Hub to support local schools with curriculum-linked content about electricity and renewable energy.
Take a look at the stand-alone website which features videos, interactive game & lesson plans for upper primary & lower secondary students.
neoenlearning.com
What does a big battery do?
Ever wondered what a big battery does?
Neoen and AusNet have made a wonderful animation that explores the many abilities of a grid-scale or big battery and the role they play in supporting the clean energy transition.
Basic Function
When there is excess energy, the battery will charge. When there is high demand for energy, the battery will discharge.
Frequency support
To maintain the stability of the system, the grid has frequency control. The battery discharges electricity in response to frequency changes. The battery will also add competition to the market which helps reduce consumer electricity prices, helping to reduce electricity costs.
Virtual Inertia
As with vehicle suspension on an uneven road, inertia services are essential for stabilising the grid. A big battery can enable the advanced power inverters to emulate the existing inertia services being supplied by an ageing fleet of fossil fuel power plants. This service is currently being trialled at Hornsdale Power Reserve.
Network support
Grid-scale batteries can provide dynamic warp-speed responses so existing transmission lines can operate at full capacity. Like adding another lane to a freeway, the battery can unlock additional capacity on existing transmission networks – saving customers millions of dollars in expensive transmission line upgrades.
Firming renewables
Along with wind and solar technologies, large-scale batteries help to firm variable renewable energy. Batteries are an essential component in the stable transition to clean electricity and achieving emissions reduction targets.
Case study: Neoen BulGANA cOMMUNITY gRANT
About Agrisolar
2017 Parkes Trial
Our first sheep grazing trial was conducted at Parkes Solar Farm in 2017 during a high rainfall and high produce year. It was a joint exercise between Neoen, local landowners and solar construction company Bouygues.
The 3 week trial involved 400 sheep within a 15 hectares zone to help reduce dry grass under the solar panels in order to manage grass fire hazard. It successfully showed that this combined land use had positive outcomes for farmers and solar operators.
2019 Expert Review
By 2019 sheep grazing had begun on all five of our operating solar farms in NSW and Victoria. These activities were assessed by an independent grazier expert to document existing practices and make recommendations on how to integrate grazing into each stage of the solar farm’s lifecycle.
2020 CEC Agrisolar Report
We are leading a collaboration with the Clean Energy Council to bring together research, case studies and lessons from across the industry into a ground-breaking Agrisolar Report. This will help to guide and inform farmers, solar farm operators and government on how best to integrate agriculture and solar.
As pioneers of agrisolar Neoen led an industry-wide initiative to share emerging lessons on agrisolar which resulted in the development of Australia’s first Agrisolar Guide. Our industry body, the Clean Energy Council brought together research, case studies and lessons from around the world to inform farmers, solar farm operators on ways to integrate agriculture with large-scale solar.
Download the report here.
There are no issues with sheep-grazing co-existing with solar farms. It’s an opportunity and win-win for farmers and renewable energy producers.
Tom Warren, Land Owner
Dubbo Solar Hub in NSW
© 2024 Neoen
Acknowledgement of Country artwork: ‘Celebrating Renewal’ by Teho Ropeyarn, 2022
