POWERLINK PARTNERS UP TO DEVELOP LARGEST UTILITY BATTERY IN
QUEENSLAND
Queensland is set to develop the latest and largest utility-scale battery in the state, thanks to a partnership between Powerlink and CS energy.
The battery will be located at Powerlink’s Greenbank Substation, near Ipswich. CS Energy will install, own and operate the battery on Powerlink-owned land.
Queensland Treasurer, Cameron Dick, said the battery would help power progress towards the Queensland Government’s 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.
“Large-scale batteries like the one planned for Greenbank allow us to capture the energy generated by Queenslanders, and best use it for Queenslanders,” Mr Dick said.
“This is an investment in good clean energy jobs, better grid services, and a great lifestyle for the future.”
Queensland Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, Mick de Brenni, said energy storage is the key to unlocking Queensland’s renewable energy revolution and driving down power prices.
“This week’s budget backs nation-building, game-changing pumped hydro storage projects in Kidston and Borumba, but batteries are the form of storage we can get into the network the fastest,” Mr de Brenni said.
“The Greenbank battery will be a game-changer in the way we operate the grid and will be critical for soaking up our sunshine and wind to feed into the system when Queenslanders need it.
“It is part of an innovative partnership between Queensland’s publicly-owned CS Energy and Powerlink, delivering even more reliable, cheaper and cleaner energy for Queenslanders.”
Queensland Assistant Minister for Treasury and Member for Jordan Charis Mullen said she was pleased to see this significant energy storage infrastructure being established in Greenbank.
“The Greenbank substation has played an important role in regional energy transmission since 2006 and the new 400MWh battery will be a vital part of Queensland’s renewable energy revolution,” Ms Mullen said.
Mr de Brenni said the recent national energy ministers meeting produced a clear consensus to address the ongoing global impacts on the energy market.
“That consensus was to deliver more renewables and storage, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Mr de Brenni said.
“Queensland’s publicly-owned power companies are already investing in 430MW of batteries and today’s commitment will grow that capacity to more than 720MW.
“After successfully installing five network-connected batteries between Townsville and Toowoomba, Energy Queensland will now deliver a further 12 batteries across the state, each up to 8MWh.
“Coupled with the big battery at Greenbank, it’s a baker’s dozen battery blitz creating 336 local construction jobs.”
Powerlink Chief Executive, Paul Simshauser, said the battery will support Powerlink’s important role of guiding the energy transformation in Queensland, while continuing to provide safe, cost effective and reliable transmission services.
“We are very pleased to partner with CS Energy, who already play a key role in our energy industry in this state, and now will be helping to drive Queensland’s energy future,” Mr Simshauser said.
CS Energy CEO, Andrew Bills, said the Greenbank project marked CS Energy’s ongoing diversification into new energy sources, following its announcement of the Chinchilla Battery earlier this year.
“Adding firm, fast-start generation assets to our portfolio will enable us to more effectively respond to changing demand in the National Electricity Market,” Mr Bills said.
Energy Queensland CEO, Rod Duke, said the increased number of batteries on the Ergon and Energex networks would allow for better management of the ever-increasing levels of renewable energy being generated.
“Having more storage capacity will enable us to move electricity in both space and time and that will lead to greater network stability and reliability for customers,” Mr Duke said.
Powerlink will shortly be contacting landholders close to the Greenbank battery site as details of the project are finalised.