January 28, 2020
AGL will build one of Australia’s largest grid-scale batteries at Wandoan under a 15-year agreement between AGL and Vena Energy Australia.
The Battery Energy Storage System, or “BESS”, will complement the Coopers Gap wind farm and other renewable energy sources in Queensland.
AGL CEO Brett Redman said on Wednesday BESS would have a capacity of 100MW and store 150MWh of energy, which could power up to 57,000 average homes.
“With the signing of the agreement, work on the BESS will commence and is scheduled to take about 18 months,” Mr Redman said.
Vena Energy Australia will build, own and maintain the BESS while AGL will have full operational dispatch rights.
“The BESS will enable AGL to leverage excess solar generation in Queensland and provide capacity when the Coopers Gap Wind Farm and other renewable power sources are not generating,” Mr Redman said.
“Early last year we delivered the Dalrymple 30MW ESCRI battery on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia as part of a joint venture with ElectraNet and in October we announced a deal with Maoneng Group to buy capacity from four 50MW /100MWh batteries in NSW.
“We are investigating the feasibility of pumped hydro plants at Kanmantoo in South Australia and Bells Mountain in NSW, which if progressed will provide more than 500MW of new storage capacity.
“We are also working with the NSW Government’s Emerging Energy Program on a proposal to build a 50MW battery at Broken Hill, we have plans for a gas firming power station in Newcastle, and we are exploring other sites.”
Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said battery storage was the next wave of Queensland’s renewable energy revolution.
“The climate-change deniers criticise renewable energy for not being available when the sun doesn’t shine and wind doesn’t blow: batteries are a game-changer,” he said.
“This battery is the first step in Vena Energy’s bigger plans to deliver up to 1000 megawatts of solar energy in Queensland.”
Vena Energy CEO Nitin Apte said the battery build would begin in July and take about a year to complete.
Vena also plans to begin work on a solar farm at the same site in 2021.
[UPDATED]
