Why the ISP Puts Batteries at the Heart of the NEM with Alex Wonhas (AMPYR)

Oct 1, 2025

Alex Wonhas, CEO of Ampyr Australia and a leader in energy engineering, discusses the groundbreaking Boolable One project, a 300MW/600MWh battery setting new standards for storage in Australia's energy grid. He highlights the importance of the Integrated System Plan in making storage central to renewables and discusses innovative equity-sharing initiatives with First Nations communities. The conversation also delves into the potential of grid-forming technology and how batteries can alleviate transmission delays, paving the way for a fair and efficient energy transition.

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ADVICE

Stack Offtakes Intentionally

Layer novel offtake structures to tailor battery offerings to multiple customers.
Design operations tightly to manage the added contractual complexity.

INSIGHT

Quality Matters In Project Selection

Many existing projects lack quality or face constraints that limit revenue stacking.
Ampyr now focuses on developing its own projects to meet investor and market needs.

ADVICE

Pursue Time‑Matched PPAs

Aim to offer 24/7 time-matched renewable contracts for customers wanting firm green supply.
Expect higher costs and find customers willing to pay the premium.

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Australia’s energy system is at a tipping point. As more renewables come online, the challenge is no longer just about building generation but about ensuring the grid can handle it reliably, affordably, and at speed. Without flexible infrastructure, bottlenecks grow, projects stall, and costs climb.

In this episode, Wendel is joined by Alex Wonhas. The conversation explores how projects like Bulable One are redefining what batteries can deliver, how connections reform is shaping deployment, and how equity-sharing with First Nations groups could set a new standard for community benefit. We also look at what Australia’s experience can teach the world about scaling storage and sharing the gains of the clean energy transition fairly.

Key topics covered include:

• How the Bulable One project is setting new benchmarks for battery storage in Australia.

• Why the Integrated System Plan (ISP) positions storage as the backbone of a renewable grid.

• What connections reform means for speeding up the pipeline of projects.

• How equity-sharing with First Nations communities can shape a fairer energy transition.

• What the rest of the world can learn from Australia’s approach to scaling storage and renewables.

About our guest

Alex Wonhas is CEO of Ampyr Australia, where he is leading the company’s expansion into large-scale renewables and storage across the NEM. With a career spanning system design at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and senior leadership in global engineering consultancy, Alex brings deep expertise in how to plan, build, and operate complex power systems. For more information on AMPYR, head to their website.

About Modo Energy

Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.

All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.