One of the world’s leading energy storage companies has been chosen to deliver the biggest battery ever to be constructed in Western Australia.

In its latest announcement, the Western Australian Government says it has awarded a $155 million contract to NHOA Australia to deliver Western Australia’s biggest lithium-ion battery.

The award was made through government owned energy provider Synergy.

Set to be constructed at the decommissioned Kwinana Power Station south of Perth, the 100-megawatt battery will have the capacity to power the equivalent of 160,000 homes for two hours.

It will store excess energy which is generated from rooftop solar during the day when demand is low and will discharge stored energy during the afternoon and evening peak.

It will be built on a site which is larger than 20 tennis courts side-by-side and will have space to expand the battery’s power and energy in the future.

NHOA has awarded a $50 million contract to local contractor GenusPlus Group, who will manage the project’s engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning.

Synergy will operate the battery, which will help stabilise the electricity system by absorbing fluctuations caused by the increasing number of renewables on the grid.

Throughout Western Australia, one in three households now have rooftop solar panels – a number which is expected to increase by 50 percent by 2030.

One of the world’s top utility-scale energy storage organisations, NHOA has installed batteries and microgrids in 26 countries.

WA Premier Mark McGowan welcomed the awarding of the contract.

“This battery is crucial to WA’s sustainable energy future and a key part of the Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap,” McGowan said.

“There is a rapid energy transformation happening and energy storage systems such as this battery will play a key role in providing better energy outcomes for Western Australian households and businesses.”

Construction will begin next month.

The battery is expected to be operational by the end of 2022.