Fleet-wide energy and FCAS market revenue, normalised $/MW and $/MWh, and the top-earning grid-scale batteries in August 2026.
Across the Australian National Electricity Market, 45 grid-scale batteries earned a combined $426k in estimated gross energy and FCAS market revenue so far in August 2026, based on AEMO dispatch data tracked by NEMPulse. Figures cover August 2026 to date (through 1 Aug 2026).
Normalised across the fleet's 6,195 MW and 12,763 MWh of active capacity, batteries earned $69/MW and $33/MWh for the period.
Total revenue was up 262% on the same days of July 2026, which returned $118k. Per MW per day — which strips out both fleet growth and the length of the window — earnings were up 178% at $69/MW/day. Optimal capture improved 21 points, from 14% to 34%.
Energy arbitrage supplied 97% of the total and FCAS 3%, with estimated Frequency Performance Payments adding $617. Within FCAS, regulation accounted for 88% and contingency 12%; the single largest market was raise regulation at $8k.
For context on the trading conditions, the average daily price spread (top two hours minus bottom two hours) across the five NEM regions was $96/MWh, up 50% on the previous period, and the highest spot price reached $173/MWh.
Revenue per MW by battery duration class: 1H: $78/MW, 2H: $93/MW, 4H+: $198/MW. Longer-duration assets typically earn more per MW through energy arbitrage, while shorter-duration batteries often lead on a per-MWh basis.
On energy arbitrage, the fleet captured 34% of the revenue a perfect-foresight strategy would have earned over the same period, leaving an estimated $776k on the table.
Re-solving the same batteries on AEMO's published PREDISPATCH price forecasts instead of hindsight — execution held identical to the perfect run — reaches 60% of the perfect ceiling across the 1 forecast-covered days in the period, against 33% actually realised. That isolates what public price information alone is worth; it is a reference point, not a floor — real dispatch can beat it or fall short of it.
On capture of the perfect-foresight energy benchmark, the strongest performers were Clements Gap BESS (89%), Bungama Battery Energy Storage System (78%), Torrens Island BESS (74%). At the other end: Broadsound Energy Park (-8%), Eraring Battery Energy Storage System (-207%), Liddell Battery Energy Storage System (-407%) — capture reflects strategy, contracting and constraints as much as skill, so a low figure is not automatically underperformance.
The strongest single day was 1 Aug 2026 at $426k, and the best single battery-day was Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub Connection A3 on 1 Aug 2026 with $43k.
The top earners were Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub Connection A3 ($43k); Supernode BESS ($40k); Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub Connection A2 ($34k).
Alongside grid-scale BESS, 14 residential virtual power plant (VPP) and demand-response aggregator units contributed an estimated $79 in FCAS market revenue so far in August 2026 ($1/MW of registered FCAS capacity). VPPs participate exclusively in FCAS markets through pooled residential and commercial assets.
| Battery | Region | Energy + FCAS | $/MW | $/MWh | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub Connection A3 | VIC1 | $43k | $217/MW | $54/MWh | 64% |
| Supernode BESS | QLD1 | $40k | $153/MW | $36/MWh | 63% |
| Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub Connection A2 | VIC1 | $34k | $172/MW | $86/MWh | 72% |
| Bungama Battery Energy Storage System | SA1 | $34k | $228/MW | $114/MWh | 78% |
| Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub Connection A1 | VIC1 | $34k | $169/MW | $84/MWh | 73% |
| Tarong BESS | QLD1 | $33k | $111/MW | $56/MWh | 64% |
| Supernode BESS | QLD1 | $28k | $106/MW | $51/MWh | 72% |
| Western Downs Battery Energy Storage System | QLD1 | $27k | $106/MW | $67/MWh | 71% |
| Koorangie Energy Storage System | VIC1 | $26k | $143/MW | $71/MWh | 66% |
| Swanbank BESS | QLD1 | $26k | $103/MW | $52/MWh | 69% |
Capture = actual energy revenue as a share of the perfect-foresight LP benchmark; shown only for units with material modelled upside.
| Region | Batteries | Energy + FCAS | $/MW | $/MWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | 13 | $229k | $96/MW | $44/MWh |
| Victoria | 12 | $210k | $130/MW | $64/MWh |
| South Australia | 12 | $148k | $146/MW | $94/MWh |
$/MW uses Max Cap (the grid-constrained operational rating); $/MWh uses registered energy capacity.
Keep reading: Previous period: July 2026Battery fleet dashboardPerformance rankingsActual vs optimal dispatchMarket eventsHow capture is calculated
Explore: All insightsBattery fleetActual vs optimalPerformance rankingsMarket economicsMarket eventsBid stackBidding strategyVirtual power plantsProject simulatorAskPulseEmail alerts
Automatically generated from AEMO public data using fixed templates (not AI-written). Figures are estimated gross market revenue (energy + FCAS) from dispatch — they exclude contracts, hedges and network-support schemes (e.g. SIPS), so actual commercial revenue will differ.
Loading live data…