The world’s largest grid scale solar battery, with a potential capacity of 1200 megawatts – about eight times the size of the South Australian big battery – is to be built in the NSW Hunter Valley at Kurri Kurri.

The project is being developed by CEP Energy, which is sourcing its power from factory and warehouse rooftops around the country, many of which are owned by the property giant Pelligra which has 10 million square metres of rooftop space.

Morris Iemma, the former NSW Labor premier who is now chairman of CEP Energy, said that Australia leads the world in the uptake of solar on homes, but is far behind in commercial solar. The deal between CEP Energy and Pelligra shows how much potential there is to build grid-scale solar around cities where power is needed most and where grid connections already exist by using industrial and commercial roofspace, he said.

The announcement of the Kurri Kurri battery is also evidence that the NSW government policies supporting renewable energy were working, said Mr Iemma.