German energy giant to deliver 430 manufacturing jobs to SA

09Sep

German energy storage giant sonnen will begin assembling its world-leading home battery technology in Adelaide after announcing plans today to establish an Australian headquarters in South Australia.

In a major coup for South Australia, the company expects to transition from assembling to manufacturing battery technology in Adelaide.

The assembly and manufacture of 50,000 energy storage systems in Adelaide over the next five years will create around 430 manufacturing and installation jobs in the state.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment David Ridgway said the new manufacturing centre, to be established at the former GM Holden site at Elizabeth, will become sonnen’s central shipping facility for Australia and the Asia and South Pacific region.

“The State Liberal Government is delighted that sonnen has decided to make Adelaide the centre of its Australian operations and the jobs that will deliver for South Australians,” said Minister Ridgway.

“We have been working with sonnen for many months and this investment is a huge vote of confidence in South Australia.

“Manufacturing has been a key foundation of South Australia’s economy for decades and this is set to continue on the back of leading companies like sonnen establishing an advanced manufacturing presence in our state.”

“Today’s announcement follows yesterday’s news that the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has signed a MOU regarding $100 million in low interest loans for South Australia’s looking to invest in solar energy options for their homes,” said Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

“The Marshall Government’s $100 million home battery storage scheme, the CEFC’s $100 million MOU and today’s announcement confirms that South Australia is a world leader in the utilisation of solar technology.”

Sonnen’s CEO Christoph Ostermann said the partnership underscores South Australia’s new reputation as the centre for energy policy in Australia.

“We are very excited to begin manufacturing in South Australia for the Australian and export markets and anticipate Australia will become the world’s number one market for energy storage systems,” Mr Ostermann said.

The rollout of sonnen’s battery system, combined with rooftop solar, is also expected to provide significant savings to household electricity bills.

“As the sonnenBatterie can charge and discharge up to three times a day, it is ideal, once battery numbers reach a certain level, to form a ‘virtual power plant’ capable of supplying energy to the grid on days of high demand,” said Mr Ostermann.

Sonnen already runs a ‘virtual power plant’ in Germany, where they connect thousands of households with a PV (photovoltaic) system and a storage system to form the decentralized sonnenCommunity.

“50,000 storage system will be able to draw down energy stored in the batteries to supply up to 150 megawatts of electricity to the grid, which is the equivalent of a gas-fired peaking power station,” said Mr Ostermann.

Hon Dan van Holst Pellekaan

Minister for Energy and Mining

Hon David Ridgway MLC

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment