Canada-based renewable energy developer Amp Energy has entered a transmission network connection agreement (TCA) with transmission network owner ElectraNet for its 150MW/300 megawatt-hour Bungama battery energy storage system (BESS) in Bungama, South Australia.

The BESS project is expected to begin operations in early 2025 as the first phase of a larger Bungama battery and solar installation.

It is also the first TCA within Amp Energy’s Renewable Energy Hub of South Australia, a A$2bn ($1.27bn) renewable and BESS projects portfolio to be built across three sites: Bungama, Robertstown and Whyalla.

Amp Energy also entered an Aboriginal cultural heritage agreement and benefit sharing with Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation.

During its construction phase, nearly 70 jobs could be created for up to a year. After the project is operational, 20 permanent jobs are expected to be created.

South Australia Trade and Investment Minister Nick Champion said: “South Australia's world-leading renewable energy reputation continues to attract significant investment into the state, especially in our regions. Projects like these not only create highly skilled jobs; they demonstrate our global standing as a leader in the green energy sector.

“Amp Energy joins a growing list of developers committed to South Australia's multi-billion dollar pipeline of projects, backed by the government's dedicated global and national investment agency, Invest SA.”

The Bungama project’s TCA follows Amp Energy being named as the winning bidder to build the Cape Hardy Port Precinct in the state, in April this year.

As part of the project, up to 5GW of electrolyser capacity will be built over the next decade to deliver more than five million tonnes of green ammonia and to establish South Australia in a leading position in the production of green hydrogen and ammonia.