9:10AM - 9:30AM
Australia's BESS Reality Check: From 11GW Deployed to What Actually Works
Type:
Keynote Address
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 1.3 to 2.6 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.
11:15AM - 12:00PM
Commercial Asset Management – Energy Trading & Revenues in Global Uncertainty
Type:
Panel Discussion
- What are the commercial considerations for trading your battery in Australia, and what markets are assets trading in?
- What are the benefits of merchant elements and commissioning?
- How valuable are extreme pricing events? What is the importance of 24-hour availability; how does this ensure maximum profitability, and how is this impacted by global uncertainty?
- How quickly can Australian BESS assets capitalise on risk-premium arbitrage as global investors flee unstable regions for Australia's low geopolitical risk environment?
- FCAS vs Wholesale Markets – for and against. How can we ensure FCAS compliance?
- What makes a success story for commercial asset management?
1:30PM - 2:20PM
Tripling Operational Capacity by 2050 – Scaling Batteries in the NEM
Type:
Panel Discussion
- How scaling grid-forming BESS will shape market dynamics and help stabilise the NEM amidst volatility
- Market forecast themes for battery energy storage systems and implications for revenues
- Mitigating the risk of market saturation: the role of grid-forming assets
- Complementing coal plant closures and supporting the transition to targets for BESS
- How can we meet AEMO’s 2050 priorities while ensuring market resilience?
2:20PM - 2:40PM
Turning Battery Analytics into Asset Value
Type:
Case Study
- 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?
2:40PM - 3:00PM
Overcoming the Cyber Security and Data Integrity Blind Spots
Type:
Case Study
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.
3:45PM - 4:05PM
Unlocking Battery Excellence Through Analytics
Type:
Keynote Address
- 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?
4:05PM - 4:35PM
How Australia’s Home Battery Subsidy Scheme is Reshaping Grid-Scale BESS Returns
Type:
Case Study
- 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?
4:35PM - 5:15PM
Mitigating the Worst-Case Scenario: How are Developers Navigating Safety Measures?
Type:
Panel Discussion
- 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?
9:10AM - 9:50AM
Lifecycle to Value: Design, Operations, End-of-Life
Type:
Keynote Panel Discussion
- We know how to design your battery with purpose, but how can this impact the end-of-life?
- How can we factor in decommissioning, repurposing and retrofitting early on in design?
- How do you look after your project after it’s been installed?
- What are cycling strategies & how is the state of charge managed to enhance performance?
- What are the risks and opportunities that teams from design, construction and market operations face with scheduled assets?
- What proactive measures should an asset owner implement to ensure availability guarantees are in place for the most critical equipment in a BESS project?
9:30AM - 10:25AM
Are Grid-Forming Technologies the Key to Stabilising the Grid?
Type:
Keynote Panel Discussion
- Grid-forming batteries:Why are they pivotal for stabilising Australia’s renewable energy grid, and how do they differ from traditional BESS technologies?
- What are the fundamentals of asset management to consider, and how is it different for batteries, particularly grid-forming systems?
- What is the LCOS (levelised cost of storage) by technology and use case, and how do grid-forming batteries impact this metric?
- How can you leverage your battery and grid-forming batteries to harness revenue streams while supporting grid reliability?
- What advice would you give to a new BESS owner/operator on how best to prepare for COD of a project, especially when deploying grid-forming technology?
10:00AM - 10:45AM
Attracting Overseas Investment for Australian BESS
Type:
Fireside Chat
- What revenue architecture are international investors actually underwriting?
- Are foreign capital sources prioritising contracted PPA structures over merchant arbitrage opportunities?
- How do different investor types (pension funds vs infrastructure funds vs trading houses) evaluate BESS revenue diversity across frequency regulation, energy arbitrage, and capacity markets?
- Can structured capacity arrangements provide the revenue certainty that allows international investors to deploy larger ticket sizes into Australian BESS, and what operational flexibility do asset owners sacrifice in these structures?
- How are international lenders and equity investors pricing the volatility of Australian spot market arbitrage, and what hedging or revenue floor mechanisms make merchant BESS assets investable for risk-averse foreign capital?
- What liquidity mechanisms and portfolio aggregation strategies allow foreign investors to scale their Australian BESS exposure while maintaining the operational control needed for optimal dispatch and revenue maximisation?
- Can geopolitical flight capital accelerate revenue growth?
11:35AM - 12:15PM
Insurance, Managing Risk and Contracting your Battery
Type:
Panel Discussion
- Are we seeing a bigger insurance risk due to geopolitical uncertainty?
- How do warranties interact with your battery?
- How do warranties affect asset operation, and how can the process be standardised?
- What asset management practices are guided by the OEMs who are under warranty?
- What is the importance of insurance, and what are the possibilities out there?
- How, as an asset manager, can you ensure all parties execute their contracts?
12:15PM - 1:00PM
Operating Batteries in Australia’s Harsh and Vast Climates
Type:
Panel Discussion
- How do extreme weather events amplify cyber vulnerabilities in BESS operations?
- What happens when cyber incidents coincide with grid stress events?
- How are insurance policies responding to the convergence of physical and cyber risk?
- Are compliance frameworks adequate for Australia's operating environment?
- What does operational cyber resilience look like during physical stress events?
2:00PM - 2:45PM
Delivering Lasting Value for Local Communities
Type:
Panel Discussion
- Noise management in urban areas: How to do feasibility assessments? Managing noise in the construction phase.
- What is the importance of community engagement throughout the lifecycle of the battery to ensure issues are minimised?
- How can we develop benefit-sharing models for lasting impact?
- Understanding land rights, land access, and engaging with stakeholders
2:45PM - 3:30PM
Pairing Batteries with Colocation Sites & Design Life
Type:
Panel Discussion
There is over 5GW of batteries in the NEM pipeline, which are co-located with other renewable assets. Presenting a whole host of new opportunities and obstacles to navigate, the final session of day two looks at why batteries are being collocated, what benefits there are, and what the major concerns are.
- AC Coupled vs DC Coupled?
- Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES)
- How can designing your battery with colocation in mind streamline the process towards operations, and open up additional economic incentives?
- When pairing your batteries with colocation sites, how does design impact plans? I.e. how can you navigate different design lives?
3:30PM - 3:35PM
