Melbourne startup RayGen, which merges solar generation with long-duration electro-thermal energy storage, has connected its flagship Victorian project to the grid – albeit partially, as the company is still waiting on the final pieces of equipment to complete the 17 hour duration electro-storage system component.
Solar hydro , Melbourne company RayGen has connected its 4 MW PV Ultra towers at Carwarp, in Victoria’s northwest. The connection marks the launch of one of two systems in Australia’s first ‘solar hydro’ power plant which has promised to deliver some of the country’s deepest and lowest cost storage. Global supply chain challenges, RayGen said, have pushed out the expected timeline for the accompanying 3 MW / 50 MWh electro-storage system, but the company is confident it will be fully operational and delivering up to 17 hours of storage to the National Electricity Market (NEM) by the first quarter of 2023. Once operational, the company expects to be able to provide the Commonwealth’s Low Emissions Technology stretch goal of firmed renewables for under $100 / MWh. The project will be delivering that storage to Victoria’s West Murray region, which is notoriously congested causing numerous renewables projects in the region to be curtailed.
Source: This news is originally published by pv-magazine-australia