APAC BESS daily brief · 3 Nov 2026

Philippines: NGCP's 'Project Airbag' BESS plan of up to 10,000 MW faces ownership question

Gulf News reports that grid operator NGCP's 'Project Airbag' envisages up to 10,000 MW of batteries nationwide at around ₱700 billion (about $11 billion), which is not an approved budget. 850 MW is under way at six sites and 1,000 MW across 12 sites is under assessment.

• Unit cost is at least ₱7 billion per 100 MW, putting the first 850 MW at about ₱59.5 billion; full build-out would take five years.

• Funding structure not publicly disclosed.
• View: If owned by the regulated grid operator, costs would sit in the transmission rate base and compete with merchant BESS reserve revenues.

• A DOE rule reportedly bars NGCP from owning batteries because EPIRA treats them as generation; whether the ERC would allow it is unclear.

Sources: Gulf News · The Philippine Star (opinion)

KEPCO research: market rules limit grid-side ESS as a 'virtual transmission line', reform urged

Ajunews reports that transmission takes over eight years to build while ESS can usually be installed within two to three years, yet rules block its use as a grid-reinforcement alternative. KEPCO's research institute says transmission-side ESS in operation totals 426 MW for frequency regulation and 978 MW for grid stabilisation.

• A second-phase grid-stabilisation ESS programme worth about KRW 70 billion is under way.
• Germany is pursuing 1,300 MW of ESS for grid stability and congestion relief.

• View: Allowing ESS as a transmission asset would create a regulated-return model distinct from central contract market revenues.

• Senior researcher Lee Won-pung said rules and assessment procedures should be revised so ESS can serve as an alternative to grid reinforcement.

Sources: 아주경제 (Ajunews)

UK: BW ESS brings 350 MW/1,243 MWh Hams Hall online; OCBC, Rabobank, SocGen financed

BW ESS's Hams Hall phase 1 (350 MW/1,243 MWh) entered commercial operation 20 days after energisation and will expand to 400 MW/1,424 MWh. Debt came from OCBC, Rabobank and Société Générale; the amount was not publicly disclosed.

• Phase 1 is 350 MW/1,243 MWh, expanding to 400 MW/1,424 MWh; 20 days from energisation to COD.

• Lenders: OCBC, Rabobank, Société Générale; amount not publicly disclosed.
• Revenue: 10-year floor and optimisation agreement with EDF.

Sources: ESS News · Energy Global

Spain: Return Energy closes €50m for 55 MW/220 MWh Basque BESS portfolio

Return Energy reached financial close on €50 million for three standalone batteries in Spain's Basque Country (Güeñes, Barakaldo, Lezama) totalling 55 MW/220 MWh. Technical adviser DNV called it the largest standalone storage portfolio in Spain to reach financial close to date.

• The Basque pipeline exceeds 1,400 MWh and 352.6 MW.

• Financing of €50 million ($55.9 million); lender not publicly disclosed; DNV technical adviser.

Sources: ESS News

Shandong draft ends 2x capacity payments for independent storage and excludes leased capacity

Shandong's DRC has opened consultation on a draft rule for generation-side reliable capacity compensation that would scrap 2x capacity payments for independent storage demonstration and long-duration pilot projects. The draft also states leased capacity of independent storage no longer earns capacity compensation; the effective date is not publicly disclosed.

• View: Removing the 2x multiplier and excluding leased capacity cuts into Shandong standalone storage cash flows built on stacked leasing plus capacity payments, so DSCR assumptions need rechecking.

• Projects must bid both quantity and price to qualify; the duration factor is capped by the length of the system net-load peak.
• Monthly penalties of 10%, 50% or 100% of that month's payment apply for 2, 3, or 4+ failures.

Sources: 新浪 / 世纪储能

NEA: China's new-type storage reaches 167 GW/435 GWh by end-September, up 63%

At its 30 October press conference the NEA said China's operating new-type storage reached 167 GW/435 GWh by end-September, up 63% year on year, with average duration of 2.61 hours. Equivalent utilisation was about 915 hours, up about 10 hours.

• Average duration rose about 0.27 hours; a 60 MW liquid-air storage demonstration in Golmud, Qinghai was connected to the grid.

• View: Utilisation rose only slightly, so returns still hinge on provincial capacity payments and spot-market rules.

• Combined investment in grids, new-type storage and charging infrastructure rose 15.3% year on year in the first three quarters.

Sources: 搜狐 / 储能网

Victoria's SEC extends 10-year Glenrowan solar PPA to add a 102 MW battery

Victoria's State Electricity Commission has extended its 10-year power purchase agreement for the 130 MW Glenrowan solar farm, awarded under the VRET auction, to cover a 102 MW, up to four-hour battery. The asset is owned by Cimic's Pacific Partnerships, with construction to start after financial close sometime next year.

• Glenrowan solar is 130 MW and has operated since May 2024; the add-on battery is 102 MW and up to four hours.
• SEC supplies more than 4,400 sites (about 5% of state demand) and targets 4.5 GW by 2035.

• Financial close is expected sometime next year; lenders and debt amount not publicly disclosed.
• View: Adding storage onto an existing 10-year state-backed PPA gives the battery long-dated revenue certainty that supports debt sizing.

• The contract stems from the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) auction.

Sources: RenewEconomy