Gentari Launches Pioneering Solar-Storage Project in Australia

• Gentari's Maryvale project pioneers Australia's utility-scale DC-coupled hybrids, blending solar and storage for efficient energy dispatch and grid support, set to transform New South Wales' renewable landscape.

Gentari Renewables has commenced construction on the Maryvale Solar and Energy Storage project in New South Wales, marking one of Australia's first large utility-scale DC-coupled hybrids. The project combines 243 MWp of photovoltaic capacity with a 172 MW / 409 MWh battery, allowing for energy storage on the DC side for evening dispatch and enhanced grid support. Located 37 km southeast of Dubbo on a 360-hectare site, the project is supported by an LTESA agreement through AEMO Services. PCL Construction is the EPC contractor, with Trina Solar, CATL, and Ingeteam providing key components. Commercial operations are expected by early 2027.

The DC-coupled design reduces equipment needs, minimizes conversion losses, and captures energy otherwise curtailed during peak sunlight, offering flexibility in markets like the NEM with duck-curve challenges. This approach can stabilize revenues and alleviate network congestion, aligning with New South Wales' renewable zones strategy to replace retiring coal with firming capacity. As developers face volatile power prices and interconnection challenges, DC-coupled systems are becoming mainstream, with more projects likely to adopt this model as supply chains mature and lenders gain confidence in performance data.

How does the Maryvale project address Australia's energy storage and grid support challenges?

• Enhanced Energy Storage: The Maryvale project integrates a significant battery storage system, which helps in storing excess solar energy generated during the day for use during peak demand periods in the evening, addressing the challenge of intermittent renewable energy supply.
• Grid Stability and Support: By providing firming capacity, the project contributes to grid stability, helping to balance supply and demand and reducing the risk of blackouts, which is crucial as more coal plants retire.
• Reduction of Curtailment: The DC-coupled system allows for more efficient energy capture and storage, reducing the amount of energy that would otherwise be curtailed during periods of high solar generation.
• Minimized Conversion Losses: The DC-coupled design minimizes energy conversion losses, making the system more efficient and cost-effective, which is essential for maximizing the economic viability of renewable projects.
• Support for Renewable Zones Strategy: The project aligns with New South Wales' strategy to develop renewable energy zones, facilitating the transition from coal to renewable energy sources with reliable backup.
• Market Flexibility: The ability to store and dispatch energy as needed provides flexibility in responding to market demands and price fluctuations, which is particularly important in the National Electricity Market (NEM) with its duck-curve challenges.
• Alleviation of Network Congestion: By storing energy and dispatching it during peak times, the project helps alleviate network congestion, improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the electricity grid.
• Increased Investor Confidence: As more projects adopt DC-coupled systems and demonstrate successful performance, investor confidence in these technologies grows, encouraging further investment in renewable energy infrastructure.