Agenda

Australia just doubled its battery storage capacity in twelve months—11 projects, 1.9GW, with Q4 alone delivering more storage than most countries deploy annually. But the deployment sprint is over, and the operational marathon has begun. As project durations stretch from 4- hours and policy schemes like CIS and NSW LTESA push assets into service faster than expertise can scale, the industry faces its defining moment: can Australia's BESS fleet actually deliver the performance and returns that justified the investment? This keynote cuts through the deployment euphoria to examine where operational reality meets financial expectations, and what separates the assets that will thrive from those that will struggle in Australia's unforgiving energy market.

• Which procurement choices from flagship projects are proving hardest to renegotiate post-COD - warranties, data access rights, LTSA structures, or augmentation obligations?
• Where does the disconnect between finance teams and technical realities hit Australian BESS P&Ls hardest, and which modelling assumptions are driving the biggest unexpected operational costs?
• What do Australian investors still misunderstand about day-to-day battery operating costs, and who's responsible for closing that knowledge gap?
• When BESS assets change hands, what does proper technical due diligence look like, and what critical information about degradation and maintenance do buyers routinely miss?
• Based on Australia's operational fleet experience, what specific development decisions would today's asset managers insist on if they could advise their developer colleagues three years ago?

• How do Australian operators decide when to prioritise battery degradation management versus capturing high-value FCAS and energy arbitrage opportunities, particularly during extreme pricing events that can reach $16,600/MWh?
• What does absorbing merchant risk mean for Australian BESS operators in a market with volatile renewable penetration, and how do you manage exposure to negative pricing events while maintaining 24-hour availability commitments?
• How do operators communicate real-time asset health constraints and cycling limitations to trading desks without compromising revenue opportunities in Australia's fast-moving ancillary services markets?
• What operational indicators do Australian BESS operators rely on to detect performance degradation before it impacts FCAS compliance or energy market participation, and where do current monitoring systems fall short?
• Why do revenue forecasts often miss the mark in Australia's evolving energy landscape, and what operational realities around battery performance, grid constraints, and market rule changes are causing the biggest gaps between financial models and actual returns?

• How do grid-forming batteries fundamentally change asset management strategies compared to traditional grid-following BESS, particularly around cycling protocols, availability requirements, and the balance between grid services and energy market participation in Australia's low-inertia system?
• What commercial incentives is AEMO creating for grid-forming capabilities, and how do these new revenue streams impact project economics and LCOS calculations when compared to conventional BESS technologies operating in energy and FCAS markets?
• As Australia's grid loses synchronous inertia from retiring coal plants, how quickly can grid-forming BESS assets respond to frequency disturbances and system splits, and what does this millisecond-response capability mean for operational protocols and maintenance strategies?
• What practical advice should new Australian BESS owners consider when preparing for commercial operation of grid-forming assets, particularly around software configuration, grid code compliance, and coordination with AEMO's system security requirements?
• How do Australian operators balance the technical potential of grid-forming inverters to provide exactly what the system needs against the commercial reality of maximising revenue across multiple market streams while maintaining long-term asset health and availability guarantees?

• How do you convert state-of-health data into dispatch optimisation strategies?
• Are current warranty frameworks adequate for data-driven asset management?
• What performance transparency does investors actually require for BESS financing?
• How do you optimise asset life extension versus revenue maximisation?
• Can predictive analytics prevent catastrophic battery failures before they impact operations?

Battery storage deployment is accelerating alongside an unprecedented surge in regulatory requirements, but cybersecurity vulnerabilities continue to plague asset portfolios. As operators focus on meeting compliance standards, they're overlooking a fundamental truth: modern BESS operations are just one security breach away from turning profitable energy arbitrage into an operational catastrophe. When these cyber threats materialise, asset owners bear the full financial and reputational consequences, while their technology partners and advisory firms remain largely insulated from the fallout. This session will examine how to build genuine operational security beyond regulatory compliance, identify where liability truly lies in complex technology stacks, and develop practical frameworks to protect both dispatch integrity and investor returns.

• How do you monetise early degradation detection in dispatch strategies?
• Are asset owners leaving money on the table with generic battery management?
• What degradation forecasting does financiers actually require for BESS refinancing?
• How do you optimise warranty recovery versus operational availability?

• How could even conservative home battery deployment scenarios compress grid-scale BESS returns as distributed capacity saturates arbitrage opportunities?
• When does small-scale overtake large-scale?
• How do early adopter saturation, rising network charges, and declining subsidy values create deployment limits—and what does this mean for grid-scale investment timing windows?
• How should asset managers recalibrate strategies?

• How can risks be mitigated, and what is the vital consideration with your battery?
• How can you look after your battery once it’s been installed?
• How should you consider site security and site protection?
• How are safe systems of work being implemented to ensure those on the ground are protected from risks?
• How are developers navigating stringent safety measures?