Through its inaugural Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM), the government of South Australia (Australia) has awarded agreements to six battery energy storage system (BESS) projects representing a combined capacity of 1,334 MW/5,336 MWh (South Australia government statement, 29/05/2026).
According to the government statement, the initiative will increase South Australia’s battery storage capacity from 1.1GW to 2.5GW. The selected projects are as follows:
- Brinkworth BESS by Akaysha Energy (250 MW/1,000 MWh)
- Dartmoor BESS by ZEBRE Pty Ltd (144 MW/576 MW)
- Goyder Battery Stage 1 and Stage 2 by Neoen Australia (200 MW/800 MWh each)
- Northern Battery by AMPYR Australia (270 MW/1,080 MWh)
- Tungkillo BESS by Iberdrola Australia (270 MW/1,080 MWh)
Under the terms of the tender, the successful developers must ensure that the contracted capacity can be dispatched continuously for eight hours whenever required. The projects have been awarded Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism Agreements (FERMAs) totalling 517 MW/4,136 MWh of dispatchable energy. The projects will be rolled out in phases, with an initial 375 MW/3,000 MWh scheduled for delivery by November 2028, followed by an additional 142 MW/1,136 MWh by November 2029.
All six awarded projects are based on lithium-ion battery technology. Through the implementation of the FERM mechanism, South Australia seeks to strengthen grid reliability as the state advances toward its objective of achieving net 100% renewable energy by 2027.
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