The South Australian Government has granted development approval for Maoneng’s Gould Creek Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) near Adelaide.
The company obtained the approval without any significant changes to its proposal, opening the way for the project to proceed to its next stages.
The 225MWp/450MWh BESS will power up to 40,000 homes and be located directly adjacent to the Para transmission substation in the City of Playford, just 22km northeast of Adelaide’s CBD.
Supporting South Australia’s commitment to renewable energy and emissions reductions, the BESS will provide efficient and secure power to local communities.
It aims to improve electricity grid reliability and network stability by drawing energy from the grid during off-peak periods for battery storage, and dispatching energy to the grid instantaneously during peak periods – helping the Australian Energy Market Operator maintain energy security.
The project has support from South Australia’s Department for Energy and Mining, and is expected to deliver millions of dollars of investment into the local economy and the community.
Maoneng expects to begin construction work in late 2022, and to complete the project 12 months later, generating up to 160 full-time-equivalent jobs during this phase.
Maoneng’s Co-founder and CEO, Morris Zhou, said the project highlighted the importance of grid-scale energy storage, and would support the state’s renewable energy goals.
“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,” Mr Zhou said.
“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.”
South Australian Minister for Trade and Investment, Stephen Patterson, has 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, creating jobs for our communities,” Mr Patterson said.
“Maoneng’s Gould Creek development will create up to 160 construction jobs and, upon completion, will provide 225MW of power from South Australia.
“This is a significant $150 million investment by Maoneng Australia into South Australia’s 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.”
