Maoneng Australia has been granted development approval by the SA government to undertake the state’s largest battery storage project, a $150 million 225MW project at Gould Creek.
Maoneng Australia’s 225MW Gould Creek Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will power 40,000 homes during peak hour once completed in 2023.
Located 22km outside of Adelaide and covering around 3.4ha of land, the project is expected to take 12 months to complete. It will provide up to 160 construction jobs and two full time maintenance positions once construction is complete.
The Gould Creek BESS will store about 450MWh of electricity and embed electricity generation to supply into the Australian grid, supporting South Australia’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
SA 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,” he 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.”
The Gould Creek BESS will provide stability to the South Australian grid by allowing more reliable and steady electricity dispersion throughout peaks and troughs in energy demand and supply.
“The rise in cheap, renewable energy is inevitable and will come sooner than forecast,” Maoneng Australia director of Development Allison Hawke said. “The South Australian government has, and continues to be, ahead of the curve in embracing this technology and the direct and indirect jobs, skills and business opportunities that this new industry offers. Maoneng is excited to be amongst the early movers in this era of change.
“Throughout the construction phase of the project, around 140 to 160 jobs will be needed. This phase will last for between nine to 12 months. A commercial benefit of battery and other forms of renewable energy is that the ongoing operation can be managed remotely. There will be an on-site control centre and maintenance facilities.
“Maoneng is in talks with the Industry Capability Network to make sure local businesses and contractors can be positioned to capitalise on local job and business opportunities.”
The Gould Creek BESS project is expected to be in operation in the second quarter of 2023.
The state government is also promoting the development of next-generation energy industries including battery storage, solar, wind and hydrogen.