- Akaysha Energy brought its 205MW/410MWh Brendale BESS online ahead of schedule to provide grid-forming and frequency services in Queensland, Australia.
- The company is expanding rapidly, with 1.4GWh operating, 4.5GWh under construction and 30GWh in development worldwide.
Akaysha Energy has commenced operations at its 205MW/410MWh Brendale battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland, almost five months earlier than planned. The project features grid-forming capabilities that support Southeast Queensland’s transmission network.
The Tesla Megapack 2-based installation connects directly to Powerlink’s South Pine substation in Brisbane’s northern corridor. It delivers fast-acting frequency control and ancillary services to the National Electricity Market (NEM) and supports renewable energy integration across Queensland’s grid.
Akaysha Energy is also deploying Tesla Megapacks at its 1,660MWh Orana BESS in New South Wales. That project sits within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.
Chief Executive Nick Carter said the early delivery demonstrates strong operational performance. He also noted that the combination of system capabilities and the long-term offtake agreement with Gunvor Group will support reliable and affordable energy supply for consumers.
The Brendale project operates under a battery revenue swap agreement with Gunvor. This arrangement enables Akaysha Energy to balance contracted revenue with merchant-market exposure and maintain bidding flexibility across frequency and ancillary service markets.
Project delivery relied on multiple partners. Consolidated Power Projects acted as the engineering contractor, Tesla supplied the battery technology, Wilson Transformer Company provided the electrical infrastructure and Powerlink Queensland served as the transmission network service provider.
Brendale’s grid-forming inverters provide voltage support and network stability services to major transmission infrastructure in Queensland. Grid-forming capability is gaining prominence in Australia’s large-scale battery market. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is funding several BESS projects with advanced power electronics.
However, grid-forming designs present challenges. Industry executives have raised concerns about higher standby consumption compared with traditional grid-following systems.
Akaysha Energy is continuing to expand its storage portfolio in Queensland and beyond. The company recently entered its 300MWh Ulinda BESS into NEM trading. It also developed the 850MW/1,680MWh Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales. It is described as the world’s most powerful battery storage system. That system delivered first full output to the NEM in late 2025, although a transformer failure triggered a temporary shutdown during commissioning.
The company is also expanding internationally. Markets include the United States, Japan and Germany. Akaysha secured a AU$300 million corporate debt facility in September 2025 to support this expansion. Its operational portfolio now totals 1.4GWh in Australia, with 4.5GWh under construction and around 30GWh in development globally.
Akaysha is also assessing funding options, including a potential minority stake sale, to support further growth in its battery storage business.