The pipeline of pumped hydro storage projects in the Australian state of Queensland continues to grow, with Victoria-based renewable energy company BE Power announcing plans to develop an 800 MW/9.6 GWh project at Mount Alma near Gladstone.
From pv magazine ESS news place
BE Power plans to build the 800 MW Big G pumped hydro storage project with a storage life of 12 hours at full capacity. The estimated AUD2.3 billion ($1.5 billion) project will be built at Mount Alma, about 55km south-west of Gladstone, central Queensland.
BE Power said it selected the Big G project site because of its natural reservoirs. It added that the natural topography could enable “highly efficient energy storage and generation, maximizing gravitational potential energy without the need for extensive infrastructure.”
BE Power said the long-term energy storage project could increase energy reliability in the Gladstone region and play a crucial role in facilitating the transition from aging baseload coal-fired power stations to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
“It will significantly strengthen local grid requirements and provide unparalleled support to the region’s energy infrastructure,” the company said, adding that the project could also deliver significant economic benefits to the region during the construction and operation phases.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2027 and commercial operations are expected to commence in early 2033.
BE Power, which is also developing the 400 MW/4 GWh Big T pumped hydro project near Toowoomba in south-east Queensland, said the concept study and initial environmental assessment for the Big G project have been completed. Applications have been submitted to obtain the necessary permits and approvals and an Initial Advice Statement is being prepared, which will be submitted to the Queensland Office of the Coordinator General.
The Big G proposal is one of a number of pumped hydro projects in the pipeline in Queensland, with the state government identifying the technology as the focus of its 10-year commitment. Energy and jobs plan. The plan aims to power 70% of the state with renewable energy by 2032 and 80% by 2035.
Queensland Hydro, owned by the state government, is developing two major projects, one in the Pioneer Valley near Mackay in central Queensland and the other at Borumba near Gympie. Major contracts for the 5 GW/120 GWh Pioneer-Burdekin project have already been completed promised while the business case for the 1 GW/24 GWh Borumba The plan has been signed by the government and the environmental approval process is underway.
Other projects in the pipeline include the proposed 2 GW/20 GWh Mount Rawdon pumped hydro project being developed near Bundaberg by Sydney-based company Evolution Mining. The most advanced project is the 250 MW/2 GWh plant being built nearby by Genex Kidstonapproximately 270 km northwest of Townsville in northern Queensland.
In its latest update, Genex said excavation work for the underground power station had been completed and underground equipment work had begun, with the facility on track to start generating in early 2025.
Queensland is also home to the 570 MW Wivenhoe pumped hydro power station, which came into operation in 1984.
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