Construction of Stanwell’s 300MW/1200MWh battery energy storage system powered by hundreds of Tesla Megapack 2XL units has started in Queensland, Australia. This marks the start of the transformation of a major coal hub into a green energy hub.
Stanwell said it had started excavation work on the $747 million megabattery project. It will include 324 Tesla Megapack 2XL lithium-ion units and is one of eight major battery storage projects currently under construction in Queensland, joining three already operating in Wandoan, Bouldercombe and Chinchilla, according to Renew Economy.
“This battery project is the largest of its kind in Queensland and will create around 80 jobs in construction,” said Mick de Brenni, Queensland minister for energy and clean economy jobs.
“What batteries deliver to the Queensland SuperGrid is reliable power. When batteries like this are publicly owned it means Queenslanders themselves benefit, not overseas shareholders. We want to ensure we maintain downward pressure on power bills for all Queenslanders by building more renewable energy and storage,” de Brenni continued.
The Stanwell megabattery project has received significant financial support from the Queensland Government, with $448.2 million from the Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Job Fund to double the battery’s capacity from its current configuration.
In parallel, work has reached the halfway point on Stanwell’s first energy storage management project, the Tarong megabattery. Construction of the $514 million battery, located at the Tarong power station in Stanwell in south-east Queensland, began in August 2023 and is scheduled to be fully operational by mid-2025. The battery will consist of 164 Tesla Megapack 2XL battery packs with a combined capacity of 300 MW/600 MWh.
Both projects are part of a planned 5-gigawatt investment by Stanwell to fully transition its fossil fuel generators to renewable energy and storage, as well as green hydrogen. The company is also investing in several large-scale wind and solar projects.
“Dispatchable energy assets like our Stanwell and Tarong big battery projects are critical as we transform our energy system,” said Michael O’Rourke, Stanwell CEO.
“The big batteries will play a crucial role in the energy transformation by stabilizing energy supply from clean renewable sources, meaning they’ll be able to be charged by sources like wind and solar and pumped back into the grid during periods of high demand.
“This will ensure affordable and reliable electricity for our commercial and industrial customers in Queensland and the Eastern Seaboard.”
