The approval was granted by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Powerlink under clause 5.3.4A of the National Electricity Rules (NER). It confirms the project's compliance with key technical standards, including modelling for system strength, inertia, and frequency response. With this milestone, Eurimbula is positioned to become one of the first utility-scale hybrid projects in the NEM to incorporate grid-forming technology at this scale.
The BESS will utilize SMA’s grid-forming inverters, which provide essential grid services such as fast frequency response, synthetic inertia, and fault ride-through. These capabilities were previously only available from synchronous generators, making this development a significant advancement in renewable energy integration.
Tim Hale, Director of Sales – Large Scale & Projects at SMA Australia, said: “This project is a big step up for SMA and the renewables sector in Australia. It will be the largest NEM-connected solar & battery hybrid project in Australia, and its successful development thus far clearly demonstrates how SMA’s grid-forming technology can be scaled to meet the NEM’s needs.”
He also referenced recent international events to underscore the importance of this technology: “Grid events such as the recent blackout in Spain highlight the vulnerabilities of power systems with increasing levels of renewable generation. It is more important than ever to invest in fast-acting, modern system strength solutions — like grid-forming batteries — to support solar and wind generation whilst maintaining system reliability.”
Toby Roberts, Country Director Australia at Elements Green, commented: “We are proud to have achieved this approval and the technical support from SMA has been invaluable. Securing the 5.3.4A letter brings us significantly closer to breaking ground this year. We are now focused on completing the remaining approvals to enter the construction phase as planned.”
SMA Australia will deliver the hybrid system, which includes:
180 MVPS 4200-S2 systems with Sunny Central 4200-UP inverters for the solar PV portion,
212 MVPS 4200-S2 systems with Sunny Central Storage 3600-UP-XT inverters for the BESS,
4 SMA Power Plant Managers (PPMs), each managing a Dispatchable Unit Identifier (DUID) for NEM compliance and dispatch.
Eurimbula represents London-headquartered Elements Green’s first project in Australia and is currently the largest hybrid energy initiative in the country. The company maintains a global development portfolio of over 14GW, including the Staythorpe Hybrid Project in the UK and several approved storage sites across Europe.
