Australia approves 720 MW solar farm with massive battery

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

Plans to develop a 720 MW solar farm coupled with up to 400 MWh of battery storage have passed an important milestone now that a grid-connection agreement has been locked in with Transgrid, the operator of the electricity transmission network in the Australian state of New South Wales.

Project developer UPC/AC Renewables Australia expects design work on a transmission substation to begin soon. It plans to start road upgrades as part of the development later this year.

The AU$768 million (US$528.9 million) New England Solar Farm will be built across two solar fields six kilometers east of Uralla in one of the three renewable energy zones proposed by the state government. With more than 2.4 million solar panels, 150 power conversion units, and a lithium-ion battery storage facility, the project will connect to TransGrid’s existing 330 kV transmission line, which transects the development site.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/06/26/australia-approves-720-mw-solar-farm-coupled-with-massive-battery/

[markslawson + 1,042]

20 hours ago, Jay McKinsey said:

Plans to develop a 720 MW solar farm coupled with up to 400 MWh of battery storage have passed an important milestone now that a grid-connection agreement has been locked in with Transgrid, the operator of the electricity transmission network in the Australian state of New South Wales.

Great, yet more unreliable renewable energy, with about half an hour's worth of storage at peak generation on a grid that is struggling to cope with all the other renewables stuck on it.. Late last year the Morrison (Australian PM) government agreed to underwrite two new gas fired plants, a 132 MW in Queensland and a 220 MW plant in Victoria.  The Victorian plant in particular is a fast start gas turbine to be built specifically to counterbalance the increase in intermittent power in the state. So all is not lost.