Canadian Solar Inc. has announced that its energy storage solutions business, e-STORAGE, has signed an agreement to supply and commission a 100 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) for OX2’s Muswellbrook Solar Farm and Battery project in New South Wales, Australia.
Shipments for the project are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2027, while commercial operations are targeted for the third quarter of 2028. The battery cells and SolBank systems will be manufactured at Canadian Solar’s own facilities, providing greater supply-chain visibility and quality control.
Under the agreement, e-STORAGE will deliver an integrated energy storage solution based on its SolBank 3.0 battery containers, along with power conversion systems, plant controls and its proprietary EQ-S Energy Management System (EMS). The EMS has been developed in-house by e-STORAGE’s North American software team.
The company will also undertake R1 grid connection studies, provide a hybrid power plant controller to coordinate the battery system with the co-located solar farm, and lead the overall integration and commissioning of the hybrid facility.
The project is backed by a 20-year long-term service agreement (LTSA), covering hardware, proprietary software and long-term system performance under a single service arrangement.
Located approximately 2.5 kilometres east of Muswellbrook, the solar-plus-storage facility will be developed on land at a former coal mine within the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone.
The project comes as the Hunter region prepares for the retirement of aging coal-fired generation capacity in the early 2030s. The two-hour battery system is expected to store surplus solar generation during periods of high daytime output and dispatch electricity during evening peak-demand periods, supporting grid reliability as conventional thermal generation declines.
Once operational, the BESS will support OX2’s long-term hybrid power purchase agreement for the project. By combining solar generation with dispatchable battery storage, the facility is designed to provide firmer renewable electricity while supporting the Hunter region’s transition away from coal-fired power.
Steve Symons, Vice President of OX2 Australia, said the storage system would transform Muswellbrook into a hybrid facility capable of capturing solar power when available and supplying it when required by the grid.
Jeff Roy, President of e-STORAGE, highlighted the growing role of battery storage in regions transitioning away from coal generation, adding that e-STORAGE’s integrated approach covers battery cells, energy management software and long-term servicing.
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