Skip to Content
10 Apr 2021
This report outlines the benefits of using large-scale batteries for electricity peaking services, highlighting their cost, flexibility and emissions advantages when compared to open-cycle gas turbine plants.
Peaking generation will be an important part of Australia's future energy mix, providing additional electricity in a short timeframe to meet periods of expected and unexpected high electricity demand.

Battery Storage: The New, Clean Peaker proves that large-scale battery storage is now the superior choice for electricity peaking services, providing significant cost, flexibility, and emissions advantages when compared to equivalent open-cycle gas turbine plants.


Battery storage outcompetes gas peakers because of its faster reaction time, higher accuracy and flexibility to respond to price variability by both charging and discharging. With the rapid reduction in capital costs complementing its already lower operating costs, battery storage offers this superior performance at much greater commercial value than its gas peaker alternative, and at much lower exposure against future gas, carbon and market reform risk.

Given these risks and opportunities, developing a new gas peaker in Australia is both irrational and imprudent, exposing shareholders to potential losses, taxpayers to unnecessary debt and electricity customers to high costs.

Battery storage is the true bridge to a clean energy future and can become the new flexible peaker to accelerate Australia’s transition to sustainable energy. The case for batteries as the new clean peaker is impossible to ignore.

Large-scale batteries are now undoubtedly the best option to meet periods of high electricity demand. Batteries can provide a premium peaking service in periods of high demand traditionally met by peaking gas plants.
Kane Thornton Clean Energy Council Chief Executive

Interested in contributing to similar work?

Make yourself heard and ensure your organisation is well placed to benefit from the growing clean energy industry. Join hundreds of companies as a member of the Clean Energy Council.
Interested in contributing to similar work?