The government of Queensland has hailed CS Energy’s plan to construct a 100MW two-hour battery energy storage system next to the state’s current coal-fired Kogan Creek Power Station in Chinchilla as a critical component of the state’s “renewable energy revolution.”
The $150 million Chinchilla battery development, which will use a lithium-ion energy battery technology like the one used by Tesla, is planned to begin later this year, and the battery is likely to be functional by late 2023, according to CS Energy.
The grid-scale battery, according to Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni, would aid in the continuous integration of renewable sources into the state’s electricity system, with the state aiming for at least 50% sustainable energy by 2030.
“This battery represents further diversification of energy and modernization of Queensland publicly-owned power companies,” he said, as quoted by PV-Magazine Australia.
“Queenslanders want clean energy, but they also want reliable energy, so the inclusion of batteries into the CS Energy portfolio will support further expansion of their variable (renewable) energy assets alongside existing traditional generation.”
The battery storage project, according to CS Energy CEO Andrew Bills, will enable the flexibility to transfer energy to assist the continuous renewable energy revolution while also providing grid stability.