2025 Agenda

Operational battery energy storage throughout Australia is set to increase ninefold over the next 3 years. With 1.9GW operating capacity by 2025, this figure could reach a staggering 18GW by 2027. Proving to be far more complex than wind or solar, what are the fundamentals that every asset owner, investor, and operator should consider when it comes to asset management?

• What are the fundamentals of asset management to consider, and how is it different for batteries? How will asset management work for this new asset class?
• How can data be harnessed from your BESS and consequently translated to improve performance?
• What is the LCOS (levelised cost of storage) by technology and by use case?
• How can you leverage your battery and harness revenue streams?
• What advice would you give to a new BESS owner/operator on how best to prepare for COD of a project?

The NEM is considered one of the most volatile markets in the world and as a result, offers significant upside for merchant revenue trading. With the operational capacity of batteries set to triple in the short term, and exponentially increase there-on out, what impact will this have on the market?

• What is the market forecast?
• Where do we see revenues heading? Will we see market saturation similar to global markets?
• Will the closure of coal plants complement the full targets of BESS?

50% of revenues from BESS in the NEM, came in just 32 days last year. Whilst batteries have recovered from the historic lows of 2023, the average earnings of $148k/MW is still below previous years. As one of the core pillars of asset management, what is the commercial considerations for trading your battery in Australia, and what markets are assets trading in?

• 11% of battery revenues were made in one day in 2024, so how valuable are extreme pricing events? What is the importance of 24-hour availability; how does this ensure maximum profitability?
• FCAS vs Wholesale Markets – for and against. Ensuring FCAS compliance
• The ‘average’ was not consistent across all batteries in the NEM. So, what makes a success story for commercial asset management?

Underpinning the entirety of asset management is the health and safety piece. Without safeguards and protocols in place, a worst-case scenario could completely take down your battery and cost millions. Hearing from those at the forefront and pioneering the industry, what are they doing, and where do they see the industry heading in terms of health and safety?

• An asset operators worse fear – fire. How can risks be mitigated, and what is the vital consideration with your battery?
• How are safe systems of work being implemented, to ensure those on the ground and protected from risks?
• Australia has some of the most stringent safety measures in place, how are developers navigating these? Across State lines and networks, how are these being implemented?
• What is the importance and protections against cyber risk?

An industry in its infancy, what does the operations and maintenance landscape look like right now?

• Predictive maintenance or time based maintenance?
• How can data be harnessed to ensure your battery remains at optimal operational capacity? What data needs to be available to all parties?
• How does longevity of maintenance effect your battery?
• What can providers offer in this space?

From design to construction, encompassing the entire lifecycle of the battery, what are the key considerations which should be taken into account?

• Designing your battery with purpose & understanding the lifecycle of your project – 10, 15, 20 years – how does this underpin performance?
• What are cycling strategies & how is the state of charge managed to enhance performance?
• What proactive measures should an asset owner implement to ensure availability guarantees are in place for the most critical equipment in a BESS project? How do these guarantees enhance the overall reliability and performance of the system?
• How to factor in Augmentation – cost vs return.
• Round trip efficiency

Whilst focusing on everything Battery Asset Management related, there is one important stakeholder to remember: the investor. Throughout its lifetime, a battery is expected to undergo ownership transitions two or three times, so what should you keep in mind? Taking an investor perspective, and that of large-portfolio operators, what are the key considerations here?

• What does an investor look for in a BESS developer?
• Portfolio Management Strategies – diversification geographically and technologically.
• How does risk appetite play into considerations?

Not referring to the financial contracts’ batteries operate under, instead this session encompasses all other contracted elements of batteries and how best to navigate the world of managing risk, ensuring contracts are executed on your battery, and ensuring your battery is contracted for success.

• How do warranties interact with your battery? How are warranties structured, how often should it be tested, how does this tie in with how the asset with be operated; how can the process be standardised?
• What asset management practices are guided by the OEMs who are under warranty?
• What is the importance of insurance, and what are the possibilities out there?
• How, as an asset manager, can you ensure all parties execute their contracts?

One of the understated pieces of asset management which is coming to the forefront now, is around social licensing. This session looks at the importance of social licensing, what the key considerations should be, and how others are approaching it.

• Noise management in urban areas, how to do feasibility assessments? Managing noise in construction phase.
• What is the importance of community engagement throughout the lifecycle of the battery to ensure issues are minimised?
• Understanding land rights, land access, and engaging with stakeholders.

There are 5GW of batteries in the NEM pipeline which are co-located with other renewable assets. Presenting a whole host of both new opportunities and obstacles to navigate, the final session of day two looks at why batteries are being collocated, what benefits are there, and what are the major concerns?

• AC Coupled vs DC Coupled?
• How can designing your battery with colocation in mind streamline the process towards operations, and open up additional economic incentives?
• When pairing your batteries with colocation sites, how does design impact plans? I.e. how can you navigate different design life’s?

In a world of profit margins and getting value for the dollar, integrating software into your battery energy storage systems can greatly enhance its optimal performance. With AI largely considered to be in its infancy, now is an exciting time as ever to explore the possibilities of optimization and how this can impact you!

• What can software providers do for you?
• How can software improve your battery portfolio?
• Where is the industry heading?