Rothbury Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a group of large rechargeable batteries, connected to form one very large battery. BESS collects energy, stores it when there is a lot and then releases it when there is high demand for electricity.
These large batteries are critical to ensuring the reliability of electricity supply for households and businesses.

We are also connecting community batteries to our network infrastructure. Community batteries are the same technology, at a smaller size and help manage energy from roof top solar, locally.

As we switch to renewable sources like solar and wind power, we need more energy storage to make sure we have power when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing. This will mean we can provide our customers with
more sustainable, more reliable and more affordable power.

By connecting BESS to our existing substations, we are reducing the impact on our communities and the environment, and decreasing the need to build more large transmission and distribution lines, which helps reduce costs and makes electricity more affordable.

BESS support the clean energy transition and make the energy network more reliable, affordable and sustainable. Their benefits include:

• Enabling more renewable energy
• Reducing the need for new transmission lines
• Local construction jobs
• Improving grid stability and reliability
• Enabling more afforable electricity