Neoen has given the all clear for development of an enormous battery system to begin at its Western Downs Inexperienced Energy Hub venture website in Queensland.
The France-headquartered renewable power venture developer, proprietor and operator introduced on Thursday notices to proceed had been issued to Tesla and UGL to start out development of Neoen’s 200 MW / 400 MWh Western Downs Battery, which can encompass Tesla Megapack methods.
“We’re thrilled to be urgent ‘go’ on the Western Downs Battery, constructing upon our Western Downs photo voltaic farm which is nearing completion,” stated Neoen Australia Managing Director Louis de Sambucy.
The battery will present numerous providers together with renewables firming, frequency providers and transmission community assist. Because of assist from the Australian Renewable Vitality Company (ARENA) introduced final month, it should in the end be outfitted with grid-forming inverter expertise; enabling provision of stability providers traditionally offered by fossil gas mills.
“Subsequent technology grid scale batteries reminiscent of Western Downs Battery will underpin this transition, with inverter expertise that may keep grid stability with out fossil fuels,” stated ARENA CEO Darren Miller.
The Western Downs Battery is predicted to start out working in the summertime of 2024/25.
About Western Downs Inexperienced Energy Hub
The massive battery will leverage current infrastructure at Neoen’s Western Downs Inexperienced Energy Hub, which additionally consists of a 460 MW (dc) / 400 MW (ac) photo voltaic farm. The venture website is located 22 kilometres south-east of Chinchilla and is only a few clicks from Powerlink’s Western Downs substation.
In mid-December, Neoen introduced the power had acquired approval to export a most of 300 MW(ac) into the Queensland grid.
“Whereas the power’s last rated capability will likely be 400MW(ac), this important milestone makes Western Downs Inexperienced Energy Hub the most important working photo voltaic farm in Australia!”
Grid connection of the venture was achieved in October 2021. A couple of million photo voltaic panels have been put in and the set up of trackers is 99.9% full stated the corporate; which is specializing in the power commencing (full?) operations this 12 months.
When working at full capability, the huge clear energy station is predicted to generate an estimated 1,080 GWh of fresh electrical energy per 12 months; avoiding 864,000 tonnes of CO2 equal emissions yearly.
Neoen’s Massive Batteries In Australia
The Western Downs venture will likely be Neoen’s fourth large battery in Australia. The others are:
- 300 MW / 450 MWh Victorian Massive Battery (Geelong)
- 150 MW / 193.5 MWh Hornsdale Energy Reserve (aka – Tesla Massive Battery, South Australia)
- 100 MW / 200 MWh Capital Battery (ACT – underneath development)
“We’re extraordinarily proud to now have a giant battery in 4 of the 5 states of the Nationwide Electrical energy Market,” stated Mr. de Sambucy; leaping the gun just a bit.
The Tesla Massive Battery in South Australia has been working since late 2017 and began its working life at 100MW / 129 MWh earlier than capability was expanded a number of years in the past. Like this primary venture, the Victorian Massive Battery additionally captured consideration globally, however not all the time for optimistic causes.
Neoen are proposing to construct a second stage of the Victorian Massive Battery, rising its capability by as much as 600MW. A allow for “VBB2” was granted by the Victorian Authorities in late November final 12 months.
The Queensland venture takes Neoen’s complete battery capability in operation or underneath development world wide past 6 GW, boosting its confidence in reaching a aim of 10 GW by 2025.
