BlackRock-backed Akaysha Energy has accelerated Australia’s utility-scale storage buildout, switching on a grid-forming BESS Australia project months earlier than planned and underscoring the pace of large battery deployment across the National Electricity Market. The company said it has commenced operations at its Brendale battery energy storage system in Queensland, delivering the asset close to five months ahead of the original schedule and positioning it to support network stability during a period of rapid renewable additions.
The 205MW/410MWh Brendale facility sits in Brisbane’s northern suburbs and connects directly to Powerlink’s South Pine substation. The system uses Tesla Megapack 2 units and provides fast-acting frequency control and ancillary services to the NEM. Akaysha said the installation also supports increased renewable energy integration across Queensland’s transmission infrastructure.
Grid-forming functionality forms a core feature of the project. Advanced inverters allow the battery to contribute voltage support and network stability services, strengthening Southeast Queensland’s transmission network during disturbances and variable generation conditions.
Commercial structure and delivery partners
Akaysha operates the Brendale BESS under a long-term battery revenue swap agreement with global energy trader Gunvor Group. As previously reported, the structure enables the company to balance contracted revenue streams with merchant-market exposure. The arrangement preserves operational flexibility to optimise bidding strategies across ancillary services markets for energy and frequency control.
Project delivery involved multiple contractors and suppliers. Consolidated Power Projects served as engineering contractor, while Tesla provided the battery technology. Wilson Transformer Company delivered electrical infrastructure, and Powerlink Queensland acted as the transmission network service provider. The company said coordination among the parties supported the early delivery timeline.
Nick Carter, CEO at Akaysha Energy, highlighted the milestone.
“Bringing the Brendale BESS online ahead of schedule is a massive achievement for the entire team,” Carter said.
“The functionality of the BESS, combined with the Gunvor offtake agreement, will ensure consumers have reliable energy when they need it, at an affordable price.”
Grid-forming focus gains national attention
Grid-forming technology has become a central topic in Australia’s battery storage market. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has provided funding support for a wave of large-scale BESS projects that include smart power-electronics equipment. The support spans new builds and retrofits of existing projects, reflecting a policy push to strengthen grid resilience as coal generation retires.
Industry discussions have also addressed trade-offs. At the Battery Asset Management Summit Australia 2025 last year, Dave Bowly, operations manager at Australian utility AGL, said grid-scale BESS projects with grid-forming capabilities could face higher standby consumption costs than grid-following batteries. Developers continue to assess operating profiles and market revenues as deployments expand.
Portfolio growth across regions
Brendale adds to Akaysha Energy’s growing Australian portfolio. The company recently entered NEM trading with its 300MWh Ulinda battery storage system in Queensland. It is also deploying Tesla Megapacks at the 1,660MWh Orana BESS in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone in New South Wales.
Akaysha has described its 850MW/1,680MWh Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales as the “world’s most powerful battery storage system.” The project achieved its first full output to the NEM in October last year. A transformer failure later prompted scrutiny before the asset entered a planned balance-of-plant shutdown from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2.
Beyond Australia, the company maintains exposure in the United States, Japan and Germany. In September 2025, Akaysha secured an AU$300 million corporate debt facility to support international expansion.
Akaysha said its operational portfolio now totals 1.4GWh across multiple Australian markets. Another 4.5GWh remains under construction, with an additional 30GWh in development globally. The company is also considering options to raise additional funds, including selling a minority stake, to support further expansion of its battery energy storage operations.
