Contact’s 200MW /400MWh Glenbrook Ohurua Battery 2 is underway right next to Contact's first 100MW / 200MWh battery at the New Zealand Steel (NZ Steel) Glenbrook site.
The second battery, made up of 112 Tesla Megapacks, will power the equivalent of 88,000 Kiwi households for around two hours during peak demand.
Combined, both batteries will power the equivalent of 132,000 Kiwi households for around two hours when demand is high and it’s needed most.
How it works
Grid-scale batteries use lithium-ion technology, similar to that used in EVs and laptops. The batteries store electricity largely generated by New Zealand’s hydro, geothermal, solar, and wind power stations that would otherwise go to waste when there is low demand.
The batteries dispatch electricity to the power grid when demand is high and it’s needed most (rather than running constantly).
The benefits
The battery is a bit like the Swiss Army Knife of the electricity system, performing a range of roles that will ultimately keep the lights on when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.
Batteries provide electricity system flexibility. Power system operators can call on batteries to help meet peak demand, balance intermittent renewable energy, fill gaps during power station outages, and support system supply changes, building resiliency into New Zealand’s power system.
The battery will:
Our partners
Tesla will supply, commission, and provide long-term maintenance services for Glenbrook Ohurua Battery 2. It’s the company’s second Megapack 2 XL system in New Zealand.
The battery further builds on our partnership with NZ Steel. In May 2023, Contact and NZ Steel announced a flexible off-peak arrangement where Contact will provide 30MW of electricity to NZ Steel for its new electric arc furnace. This will almost halve the steel mill’s carbon emissions. Contact leases NZ Steel land for Glenbrook Ohurua Batteries 1 and 2. Together, Contact and NZ Steel are delivering resilience and building decarbonisation initiatives at scale and speed.
Contact is again engaging local partners to support the second battery project, ensuring the economic benefits of the construction project stay with New Zealand businesses as much as possible.
Safety
Health and safety issues and risks have proven to be extremely low for the battery. Thousands of similar units are installed around the globe; designed and extensively tested by Tesla to guarantee safety for everyone nearby.
The battery will be automatically monitored 24/7 by Contact and Tesla. All potentially hazardous substances will be contained within sealed and closed battery units. In the highly unlikely event of a fire in a unit, the battery system will immediately isolate itself, and the cabinets are spaced so fire can’t spread. In such an event, we will follow our emergency response plan agreed with Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Site development updates
At Contact, we believe it is important to be a good neighbour. We will keep residents and businesses based near the site up to date on the construction work and any potential effects it could have on them through newsletters and emails.
Project details
At Contact, we deliver great value. products, and service. We innovate based on customer feedback to shape the future.
We're committed to preserving natural resources for future generations of Kiwis, maintaining balance every day.
We've always got courageous and clever projects on the go to help generate renewable energy and manage our long-term impacts.
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