Grid-forming BESS for stronger grid connections in Australia’s hyperscale data centers boom 

In his article for PV Magazine Australia, our colleague Carlos Carrillo, Engineering Consultancy Manager for Australia and New Zealand, examines why grid-forming BESS is becoming the preferred solution for supporting the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers in Australia.

As AI-driven electricity demand rises sharply and system strength continues to decline across the National Electricity Market, grid-forming technology is emerging as a critical tool to stabilise weak nodes, provide a reliable voltage reference, and improve overall grid resilience. 

The article outlines how grid-forming inverters can manage extreme ramp rates, support islanded operation and blackstart, and reduce the need for costly mitigation measures such as synchronous condensers. It also highlights AEMO’s ongoing work to validate synthetic inertia capabilities and the central role of technical advisors in modelling grid connection impacts, guiding technology selection, and designing effective colocation strategies. Together, these elements position grid-forming BESS as a key enabler for secure, high-availability hyperscale development across Australia’s electricity network. 

In this evolving landscape, we offer highly specialised technical advisory and consulting services to support developers in navigating the technical, regulatory, and commercial complexities of deploying grid-forming BESS at hyperscale data centre sites. Our services include:

• rigorous grid-connection modelling;
• validation of GFM inverter performance against AEMO requirements;
• guide technology selection;
• co-location design optimization to de-risk approvals and accelerate timelines.

By identifying system-strength gaps early and structuring an evidence-based connection strategy, our team enables proponents to confidently deploy grid-forming BESS as a stabilizing backbone for Australia’s fast-growing data centre sector. Contact us at info.australia@enertisapplus.com to discuss how we can support your project.

Read the full article on “Why grid-forming BESS is becoming the preferred solution for hyperscale data centres” in PV Magazine Australia.