Image: Energy Victoria
Neoen starts construction of the 200 MW / 400 MWh Western Downs battery in Queensland Australia. The project will be powered by Tesla Megapacks.
December 29, 2022, Neoen provided notices to Tesla and balance sheet contractor UGL experts that it is starting construction of its 200 MW / 400 MWh Western Downs Battery in South West Queensland, Australia. Neoen will be the long-term owner and operator of the asset, which is its fourth major battery in Australia.
The battery, consisting of Tesla Megapack systems, will use Neoen's existing Western Downs Green Power Hub infrastructure, which includes a 460MW solar farm currently nearing completion, according to a company press release. It will be located adjacent to the Western Downs substation where Powerlink will perform connection work, including a dedicated high voltage line that will connect the battery to the transmission network. Early construction works are underway, with the asset expected to start operating in the Australian summer of 2024/25.
The Western Downs battery is designed to modernize and stabilize the Queensland power grid. It is capable of performing a number of important functions, including strengthening renewable energy sources, providing frequency services, and supporting the transmission network. Ultimately, the battery will be equipped with inverter grid forming technology, allowing it to provide the basic system stability services traditionally provided by synchronous generation such as coal and gas.
Louis de Sambucy, Neoen Australia’s Managing Director, said: “We are thrilled to be pressing ‘go’ on the Western Downs Battery, building upon our Western Downs solar farm which is nearing completion. We would like to thank Tesla, UGL and Powerlink for their dedication and commitment, and ARENA for their trust and support. We are extremely proud to now have a big battery in four of the five states of the National Electricity Market.”
Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA, added: “Battery storage is an essential technology in the transition to renewable energy, allowing us to smooth out variable generation and store electricity for when it’s needed. Next generation grid scale batteries such as Western Downs Battery will underpin this transition, with inverter technology that can maintain grid stability without fossil fuels.”
Xavier Barbaro, Neoen’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer concluded: “We are proud of this new storage asset, which will be the most powerful battery in Queensland, a state where the pace of the energy transition is accelerating. Neoen now holds a global storage portfolio of 842 MW / 1341 MWh. It also takes our total capacity past 6 GW in operation or under construction around the world – giving us confidence in our ability to reach 10 GW by 2025.”
© 2023, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
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Article edited by @SmokeyShorts; follow him on Twitter
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
