In a landmark decision, the South Australian government has approved Maoneng’s $150 million 225MW battery storage project at Gould Creek. This will be the state’s largest battery storage project to date, creating 160 jobs and powering up to 40,000 homes. Construction is slated to start in late 2022 and is expected to be in operation in the second quarter of 2023.
The Gould Creek Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will be located just 22 kilometres outside Adelaide and cover approximately 3.4 hectares of land. It will store approximately 450MWh of electricity, reducing renewable energy curtailment and ensuring a more stable, reliable grid.
Minister for Trade and Investment Stephen Patterson welcomed the development approval for the Gould Creek BESS project.
“South Australia’s reputation as Australia’s leader in renewable energy investment and our credentials of producing around 60 per cent of our energy capacity from renewable sources, is helping to attract further investment into our state and creating jobs,” Minister Patterson said.
“This is a significant investment by Maoneng Australia into South Australia’s continuing commitment towards a sustainable future and I’m delighted to see an Australian-owned company that is so committed to the development of projects that are critical for powering a sustainable world.
“As innovators of technology, Maoneng Australia’s large-scale renewable projects create attractive investment prospects for interested parties throughout the world.”
Grid-Scale Energy Storage Vital to Clean Energy Transition
Maoneng co-founder and chief executive Morris Zhou said the project highlighted the importance of grid-scale energy storage which is critical to the successful transition of Australia’s electricity system to renewable generation.
“This approval is good news for all South Australians, as more battery storage will help smooth the transition to clean energy”, he said.
“South Australia has high levels of renewable energy generation, which is a positive development but can create challenges balancing supply and demand due to the intermittency of renewables.”
“Our proposed battery storage will help manage this, supporting local energy reliability and security while also promoting greater uptake of renewables as a whole.”
“We can now progress with more detailed work on our funding arrangements and supply chain, which will provide many opportunities for local businesses to get involved.”
The South Australian Miracle
Only 5 years ago, South Australia was hit with a state-wide blackout that left its 1.7 million residents without power. Now, the state is leading the transition to renewable energy, not just here in Australia, but globally.
Dubbed the “South Australian Miracle” by UK’s BBC Radio, SA’s clean energy transformation has been a model of success for the world.
In fact, in October this year wind and solar met 100 per cent of more of local demand in South Australia’s main grid in all but two days – surely a new record for a gigawatt scale grid anywhere in the world.
The state’s commitment to renewable energy generation is helping attract investment, grow significant new industries, and support the creation of jobs for local communities.
The South Australian government’s Growth and Low Carbon team has taken a series of steps in the last 18 months to drive investment into renewable energy, including:
- $100 million Home Battery Scheme
- $50 million Grid Scale Storage Fund
- $150 million Renewable Technology Fund
- South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant
- South Australian Government electricity load
- South Australia’s Electric Vehicle Plan
With the announcement of the Gould Creek BESS project, the state will further cement its reputation as a renewable energy powerhouse.
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