BayWa seeks Australian government approval for combined 1.2 GWh of big batteries
German renewable energy developer BayWa r.e. has filed for approval under the Australian government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) legislation for a 200 MW / 800 MWh battery energy storage system to be built near Gladstone in central Queensland.
The proposed Hughes Road battery energy storage system would be built at Wurdong Heights, about 12 kilometres south of Gladstone and connect into the National Electricity Market via network operator Powerlink’s adjacent substation.
In its application under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, BayWa r.e. says the project, which is located in the planned Central Queensland Renewable Energy Zone, would support Queensland’s transition to renewable energy.
The state government is targeting 70% of Queensland’s energy needs to be met from renewable sources by 2032 and 80% by 2035.
“The project has the potential to contribute to the firming of the grid by adding storage capacity to the network,” BayWa r.e. said.
No details have been provided for the construction timeline for the Hughes Road battery but BayWa r.e. said it expects the build will take about 12 months to complete.
The company is also seeking federal environmental approval for the Wimmera Plains Energy Facility being developed near the town of Jung in northwest Victoria.
The project comprises up to 312 MW of wind energy and a 100 MW/400 MWh battery energy storage system.
BayWa r.e. said construction of the Wimmera Plains project is expected to begin in Q3 2025, subject to planning approval, with operations to commence in late 2027.
The projects are the latest for BayWa r.e. in Australia where it said it has more than 4 GW of renewable energy projects under development. The company has already commissioned more than 270 MW of solar and wind projects in the country, including the 112 MW Karadoc and the 106 MW Yatpool solar farms in Victoria, and the 20 MW Hughenden Solar Farm in Queensland.
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