Victoria's largest battery approved

Victoria’s largest battery storage project has been approved by the state government, with the 2500 MWh facility expected to deliver renewable energy for hundreds of thousands of homes.

Pacific Green’s Portland Energy Park project was fast-tracked through the government’s Development Facilitation Program, and will include four 250 MW battery ‘parks’. As well as being the state’s biggest battery, it will also be one of the largest in the world, according to the government. An onsite terminal station will connect the facility to the grid via existing transmission lines.

The battery will store solar energy during the day that can be pumped back into the grid at times of peak demand, helping to lower energy costs and firm up electricity supply for Victorian homes and businesses.

“This battery will soak up cheap renewable power during the day and deliver it when demand peaks — powering 345,000 homes and slashing energy bills across the state,” said Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio.

The construction phase will see the creation of 300 jobs, with 60 jobs planned to be ongoing once the energy park becomes operational.

Pacific Green was required to show that its development would be compliant with conditions regarding biodiversity impacts, bushfire safety and noise, while also including upgrades to nearby roads in the scope of works.

The government opened up the Development Facilitation Program to include renewable energy projects last year; since then, it has fast-tracked more than $6 billion worth of renewable energy projects. Cumulatively, the 20 projects approved so far will have the potential to power about 574,000 households annually, with battery storage capable of meeting evening peak demand for more than 1.6 million households.

Prior to this fast-tracked pathway, the government said that more than one in five renewable energy project applications ended up stuck in VCAT, despite the overwhelming majority being approved eventually — often delaying them by two years.

“Our fast-tracked pathway has unlocked more than $6 billion worth of investment into renewable energy projects — helping provide cheaper and cleaner energy to hundreds of thousands of Victorian households,” said Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny.

Image credit: iStock.com/PhonlamaiPhoto