Keeping the lights on if transmission fails.
ZEN is seeking to build the Wagga North Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct (SAP), near Byrnes Road, Bomen.
The proposed 105-megawatt/4hrs battery system will have the capacity to supply 4 continuous hours of clean power for up to 35,000 homes at peak times.
Battery storage is critical to NSW’s and Australia’s renewable energy future, bolstering energy security and resilience while reducing fossil fuel reliance and facilitating a low-carbon economy.
The project will also support growth in local electricity demand and defer the need for electricity network upgrades, positioning Wagga Wagga at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions.
ZEN is committed to delivering a Community Benefits Scheme that includes funding for local issues and prioritises other benefits, such as local procurement and employment.
We are seeking community feedback to ensure the project’s design and operation reflect local needs. Our team is collaborating closely with NSW regulatory authorities associated with SAP in the development process.
Located on the lands of the Wiradjuri people. ZEN acknowledges the Wiradjuri people as the Traditional Custodians of this land. We honour the significance of Country as a foundation of community, kinship, lore, and language, and we pay our respects to Elders, past and present.
PROJECT TIMELINE
FEASIBILITY PHASE
Important studies are now necessary to determine if the project is viable. It is early days in the planning and development process and, if approved, construction could begin in late 2026.
We have submitted the necessary Scoping Report to the NSW Department of Planning and currently preparing a development application.
In parallel, ZEN will submit an Activation Precinct Certificate application to ensure compliance with SAP guidelines and principles.
Following initial feedback with Transgrid, ZEN is preparing a grid connection application which involves detailed modelling of the battery within the electricity network.
While the project is at an early stage, community feedback is important now so that issues or concerns raised influence the project design.
CONSTRUCTION MAY START LATE 2026
Construction will be contained within the Special Activation Precinct and traffic to and from the site managed carefully.
Regular community updates and open communication continues, informing locals about progress.
ESTIMATED TO BE OPERATIONAL
Greater energy security for Wagga Wagga and NSW.
PROJECT COMPLETE
COMMUNITY UPDATES
The Wagga North Battery project is in its early stages and community contact is underway. Project updates will occur once the result of studies and planning decisions are known.
We welcome your feedback now and throughout the project.
FAQS
At this stage, the project will utilise lithium-ion battery cells, specifically lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry. LFP has low thermal runaway risk and is currently being deployed on other utility-scale batteries around Australia. The battery system enclosure being used includes active fire detection and suppression to minimise fire risk.
ZEN Energy is committed to ensuring the projects we develop are built using industry-leading processes and equipment. Additionally, utilising the best practice in recycling to ensure the least amount of landfill waste is accumulated, as the equipment is replaced throughout the lifespan of the powerplant.
Domestic recycling operations capable of handling li-ion batteries exist now but are limited in capacity, but significant growth is forecast in response to the scale of demand for Li-ion storage. Whilst occasional faulty cell replacements are anticipated during the operational life, the majority of battery cells should last 20 years or longer, at which time a major recycling campaign would be undertaken.
- Stabilises Grid: Acts quickly to stabilise the electricity grid if transmission lines go down or generators fail.
- Supply reliability: Utility-scale battery projects allow energy companies like ZEN to store a proportion of the clean energy created when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing in abundance, and feed it into the grid when demand is high. Stores excess renewable energy generated during low demand periods and releases it during peak hours.
- Reduces bottlenecks by providing critical backup supply when other grid-supporting infrastructure has reached capacity.
- Integrates renewable sources by reducing intermittent supplies of wind and solar energy by storing excess energy and releasing when needed.
We are a values-based business, and this includes valuing Australia’s unique biodiversity and landscapes. We do focus on developing assets in regions with limited existing renewable energy supply but seek to re-purpose sites that have had previous commercial or industrial uses, limiting impacts on the natural environment.
We are still in feasibility phase, but we will update this section once further studies commence.
You can contact our team using the contact form on this webpage or by emailing our team at wagga@zenenergy.com.au.
