80 Tesla Megapacks power up 100 MW/ 200 MWh battery in Australia
Australia’s state of Queensland has a new 100 MW / 200MWh battery online. The government-owned utility CS Energy announced that the first publicly owned battery near the town of Chinchilla had completed its commissioning process.
The township has fewer than 8,000 inhabitants, but the battery is located near the 750 MW black coal-fired Kogan Creek power plant, one of Australia’s newest and most modern thermal generation units, and all associated electrical infrastructure.
CS Energy said the $98.8m grid-scale battery, that was connected to the electricity network via Powerlink’s 275 kV Western Downs substation late last year, will add extra flexible capacity to the grid, storing excess solar power during the day and then releasing it quickly when it is needed most.
CS Energy Chief Executive Officer Darren Busine said the project, which includes 80 Tesla Megapack 2 modules featuring lithium iron phosphate technology, has undergone a comprehensive commissioning program that tested the battery under various operating conditions, ensuring it operates safely and reliably.
“Getting the Chinchilla Battery ready for commercial operation has taken a large effort from many people and teams across our entire business, from the team at site who will operate and maintain the asset to our traders in Brisbane who will dispatch its output into the grid,” he said.
The Chinchilla big battery is the first completed project at CS Energy’s planned Kogan Clean Energy Hub. A further hub is set for the Callide power station site, located relatively nearby, as part of a broader strategy to diversify its generation portfolio and support Queensland’s future energy needs.
Origin Energy, an Australian-based generator and retailer, revealed plans in May to build a 2 GWh battery energy storage system in the region as well.
In addition to the ongoing battery development, the Kogan Clean Energy Hub also includes the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant, which features a 1 MW hydrogen electrolyser powered by a co-located 2 MW solar farm. Construction of the solar-powered hydrogen facility, which is expected to deliver approximately 75 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, commenced last year, with commissioning of the project expected later this year.
The hub is also to include a 400 MW gas peaking power plant that will initially be capable of operating on 35% renewable hydrogen, with a pathway to 100% hydrogen over time.
The Australian Electricity Market Operator’s (AEMO) 2024 Integrated System Plan projects Australia’s National Electricity Market will need 49 GW / 646 GWh of dispatchable storage by 2050.
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