“As an early adopter of battery energy storage at our Porta manufacturing sites, we've had strong interest from industry in how these systems are performing. The showcase day was a great opportunity to share our experience, but equally important was the connection with other businesses, partners and innovators — those conversations are what will help move this space forward.”
Group Energy, in partnership with Gelion and the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP), hosted a Battery Showcase Day on 9 March 2026 at Porta's Somersby site as part of Climate Action Week Sydney. The event brought together more than 70 attendees from industry, community and government. Participants learnt about sustainability initiatives at Borg, how battery systems can reduce energy costs and gained insights from the first six months of its operation.
The day began in collaboration with Central Coast Industry Connect (CCIC), featuring the Women in Manufacturing networking event. In the afternoon, the partnership with A2EP included a moderated Q&A session, providing a deeper dive into the battery system and its operation.
The seminar kicked off with Katrina Boyd, who shared an insightful overview of Borg's sustainability plans, based on four key areas: People, Product, Planet and Principles. She highlighted practical initiatives including Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), product certifications (PEFC and FSC) and recycled waste wood in particle board, demonstrating how sustainability can be applied across the business.
Next, Nick Batt from Gelion provided a deep dive into Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), explaining what happens inside the container and how these systems support reliable, sustainable and affordable energy. He also outlined the key stages in developing a business case — starting by understanding energy usage, load profiling and key business processes.
This was followed through modelling battery operations, evaluating capital, operational costs and assessing risks. He concluded with insights into long-term outcomes, including return on investment, typical payback periods and broader sustainability benefits over the system lifecycle.
Andrew Cheah shared his experience operating the BESS over the past six months, including the use of AZZO's EnergyX platform to control battery operations, alongside Group Energy's own FCAS bidding platform that is integrated with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). He also presented insights from Group Energy's BESS performance dashboard, highlighting how arbitrage and FCAS revenues are tracked, as well as the broader energy management system, which includes solar monitoring and gas market operations.
He provided his insight and key learnings from the project, including the importance of strong partnerships, understanding the system end-to-end including the electrical fundamentals and the importance of price forecast accuracy as its the key driver to BESS savings.
Laura Taylor from the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) introduced the organisation's role in supporting energy productivity. She facilitated an engaging Q&A session, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and gain practical insights before considering projects of this nature.
The showcase highlighted not only the capabilities of battery storage, but also the importance of strong industry collaboration in addressing key challenges such as sustainability, local manufacturing in Australia, reducing energy costs to maintain global competitiveness. It was an inspiring day of learning, discussion and practical insights into the future of energy.
A2EP is an independent, not-for-profit coalition helping Australian businesses achieve more with less energy — from policy guidance and case studies to webinars and advocacy for a cleaner, more productive future. Connect with A2EP for more information https://www.a2ep.org.au/
The event was proudly supported by Central Coast Industry Connect (CCIC), the umbrella organisation fostering collaboration across manufacturing and related sectors in NSW's Central Coast. Gail Cottrill, Director of CCIC, and CCIC Women in Manufacturing group also held their networking event at the Porta site, combining sustainability insights with industry connection and collaboration. For more information connect with CCIC https://centralcoastindustryconnect.com.au/
Gelion is a global energy storage innovator focused on developing next-generation battery technologies to support the clean energy transition. The company combines low-cost materials and advanced technology to create commercially viable and sustainable energy storage solutions. It works with global partners to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy systems. To learn more about Gelion, connect with them https://gelion.com/
Group Energy, part of the Borg group of companies manages the company's energy portfolio and generation assets while supplying electricity and gas across its facilities. It oversees 16MW of Solar PV generation and drives new renewable and carbon projects. Together, these efforts support Borg's commitment to sustainable energy. Discover how we can support your energy needs https://www.groupenergy.com.au/about/
