Lightsource starts construction of 640 MWh Australian battery

London-headquartered renewables developer Lightsource bp, which is wholly owned by oil and gas giant BP, has started construction of the 222 MW/640 MWh Woolooga BESS in Queensland, which will be colocated with the 500-hectare, 214 MW Woolooga solar farm.

The Woolooga BESS, scheduled to be operational by 2026, is located 25 km northwest of Gympie, in Queensland. It will consist of 128 battery units.

Lightsource has also started construction of its million-panel Goulburn River hybrid project in NSW. That facility was the subject of one of 19 successful bids in Australia’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) Tender 1 procurement round.

Rystad Energy Australian Renewables Research Senior Analyst David Dixon commented that the Lightsource bp dual-project announcement takes the capacity of under-construction utility-scale solar, wind, and batteries to over 8 GW in Australia.

“Utility batteries continue to be the standout, with about 4.9 GW /13 GWh breaking ground this year,” said Dixon. “It was still a relatively strong year for utility solar and wind, with 3.4 GW starting construction but the pace needs to quicken in order to hit the 2030 target.”

Lightsource bp Asia Pacific (APAC) Chief Operating Officer Adam Pegg said Australia is perfectly positioned to deliver on its energy transition, with abundant renewable energy resources that not only meet domestic need but also offer significant potential for energy exports.

“While there’s ongoing debate about the role of nuclear, the reality is that we have solutions today for firmed renewables – wind and solar backed by batteries – which are already proving to be the most cost-effective and reliable energy solution,” Pegg said.

“These projects set a new benchmark for how we approach all future developments, demonstrating how market-driven innovation can deliver cost-effective solutions that meet growing energy demands.”

Pegg said, by embracing firmed renewables, Lightsource bp can build a modern energy grid that is cleaner, more resilient, and capable of powering the nation’s growth, driving both economic progress and sustainable development in a rapidly changing world.

The 585 MWdc Goulburn River solar farm, located near Merriwa, NSW, will be one of the largest approved single-site solar farms in the state to reach construction stage to date and is located between the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and the Hunter Central Coast REZ. It will produce approximately 1.3 TWh of renewable energy annually, powering the equivalent of 225,000 homes, and is expected to save 910,000 tons of carbon emissions each year.

Since its entry into the country in 2018, Lightsource bp has developed and financed more than 1.2 GW of renewables capacity and continues to progress its solar and battery storage portfolio of more than 7.5 GW across Australia and New Zealand.

From pv magazine Australia.