Australia seems not to be able to get enough of Tesla’s Megapack energy storage products as the Brisbane-based Supernode battery project expands its capacity to triple the original size.
As reported by Renew Economy, the aim is to phase out baseload power generators and replace them with battery storage and other long-duration storage solutions.
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, the developer behind the Supernode project in Brisbane, Australia, has signed up for more Tesla Megapacks. The new contract comes after construction work has started on the project’s first phase, sized at 250 MW and 520 MWh.
This addition will bring total connection capacity to 500 MW and triple total storage to 1560 MWh after Quinbrook expanded its off-take deal with utility company Origin Energy.
Origin has bought into the project expansion as it works toward shutting down the coal-powered Eraring five years from now. The company wants to shift reliance to flexible solutions from baseload solutions. Its head of markets, Greg Jarvis, said, “The Supernode off-take will be an important addition to our growing storage portfolio and reflects our belief that storage will play an important role in helping firm variable renewable energy supply and maintaining secure, reliable energy supply for customers.”
Origin’s long-term plan is to fill in the gaps in wind and solar energy production with battery storage, pumped hydro, green-fuel-powered fast-start generators, etc, as the grid connects to more renewable energy projects.
Tesla is picking up more Megapack supply contracts as Origin will build another 300 MW/650 MWh storage facility in Victoria and a 500 MW/2000 MWh plant at Dalby, Queensland.
Tesla set a new Megapack delivery record of 9.4 GWh in Q2 2024. The batteries will help power the largest offshore wind farm in the world.
