Australian utility AGL Energy and Singapore’s Vena Energy have signed an agreement to build a 100MW/150MWh battery facility in Queensland, Australia.
Planned to be built near Wandoan on the Western Downs, the battery energy storage system (BESS) will have capacity supply power to 57,000 homes. It is expected to create 30 jobs.
Queensland Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said: “Queensland’s renewable energy revolution is steaming ahead and the next wave is battery.
“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.”
Construction on battery facility to start in July 2020
Construction on the project is planned to commence in July 2020 and is expected to be completed in a one-year period.
As per the terms of the 15-year deal, Vena Energy Australia will build, own and maintain the energy storage facility. AGL, as the user of the battery, will have full operational dispatch rights.
Vena Energy CEO Nitin Apte said: “The battery energy storage system is the first major milestone in our $650 million Wandoan South Project (external site), which has the potential to supply up to 400,000 Queensland households with solar energy.
“Vena Energy Australia plans to keep the momentum moving and aims to begin work on a solar farm at the same site in 2021.”
AGL CEO Brett Redman said that the battery will support the 453MW Coopers Gap Wind Farm.
Redman added: “AGL will also be able to leverage excess solar generation in Queensland and provide capacity when the Coopers Gap Wind Farm and other renewable power sources are not generating.”
Queensland, which currently has almost 5.5GW of installed renewable capacity, aims to generate 50% of its total power from renewable sources by 2030.
The project marks the initial step of Vena Energy’s larger plan, Wandoan South project which aims to installed 1GW of solar capacity in Queensland.
In 2019, Maoneng Group has signed a long-term contract with AGL for the development of four energy storage systems in New South Wales, Australia.
