Sixteen Energy Storage Projects Power Australia’s $3.8 Billion Clean Energy Investment

Australia’s clean energy transformation has gained new momentum with a record-breaking investment in large-scale energy storage systems.

The latest phase of the national Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) has exceeded expectations, securing more battery energy storage systems (BESS) than initially planned and attracting remarkable participation from across the renewable energy industry.

Originally targeting 4 GW of dispatchable capacity across the National Electricity Market, the tender drew overwhelming interest with approximately 34 GW of bids, equal to nearly 135 GWh of potential renewable energy storage.

Sixteen grid-scale battery projects have now been awarded contracts, collectively providing 4.13 GW—or 15.37 GWh—of energy storage capacity scheduled to be operational by 2029. This will be enough to meet the peak energy needs of more than 3.5 million homes, reinforcing grid stability and reliability.

The successful projects represent around $3.8 billion in local energy storage investment, along with $218 million in Indigenous and community benefits, $36 million allocated to shared development programs, and $33 million in locally produced steel.

Many of these energy storage projects include equity-sharing partnerships with Indigenous businesses and initiatives that offer vocational training and long-term employment pathways—key elements for building a sustainable energy workforce.

Education and technical skill-building programs, including vocational training collaborations and STEM-focused school initiatives, are expected to generate approximately 1,900 construction jobs and more than 100 long-term operations and maintenance roles over the 20-year lifespan of the assets.

Among the new developments, the largest facility will be a 450 MW / 1,370 MWh standalone battery project in New South Wales. Additional major installations include a 400 MW / 1,600 MWh project in Queensland and a 350 MW / 1,400 MWh system in Victoria. South Australia will also expand its energy storage portfolio with an additional 1.8 GWh of capacity across two major projects.

This latest round of clean energy storage projects builds on the 19 CIS agreements already awarded nationwide, bringing the total secured capacity to 5.85 GW. In total, the scheme has generated more than $10 billion in combined local, community, and sustainability outcomes, further advancing Australia’s renewable energy goals.

As renewable energy continues to expand across the country, grid-scale energy storage systems are emerging as a critical foundation for balancing supply and demand, strengthening energy security, and driving Australia’s transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.