The developer of the four hour Glenrowan battery is now pushing the project through the federal environmental queue, after speeding through the fast tracked Victoria planning process.
Victoria approved the 400 MW battery in December, after developer Akaysha Energy lodged its state planning application just seven months earlier.
This week, the Glenrowan battery’s federal referral opened for public comment over whether it needs to be a controlled action under the EPBC Act, after being lodged in December.
The Glenrowan project is close to AusNet’s Glenrowan terminal station, north-east of Winton, and in an area thick with solar projects – no less than 10 are in operation or proposed for the 15km of transmission lines on either side of the terminal.
Not including Akaysha’s project, there are eight other batteries in different states of preparedness in that same area.
Glenrowan is one of three being developed in Victoria by Akaysha, along with the Elaine battery project which recently struck a long term off take agreement with Snowy Hydro, and the Deer Park battery which won one of the federal government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tenders.
Since renewable energy projects were added to the fast track system at the end of April 2024, Victoria has sped 38 separate large and small solar projects and batteries, and a handful of wind projects through the planning process.
“Grid-scale storage is increasingly recognised as playing an essential role in Australia’s energy transition, particularly in strengthening reliability and supporting the electricity system during periods of peak demand,” said Akaysha Energy’s Richard Reynolds.
“The decision to fast-track Glenrowan helps progress critical infrastructure at the pace the energy system now requires. Subject to approvals, construction is expected to commence in late-2027.”
Where are the regent honeyeaters?
The Glenrowan EPBC referral appears to be more of a matter of form than a serious worry that it might be a controlled action.
“The primary impact on the natural environment from the proposed action relates to native vegetation removal,” the EPBC referral says.
“Of 185 significant native trees surveyed, only five are proposed for removal to facilitate the BESS, road upgrades, and underground cabling.”
Of the trees in question, one is dead, two are along a laneway, and two are “assumed lost” due to underground cable works.
The tree cover is part of revegetation work to provide habitats for the critically endangered pregnant honeyeater.
Oddly enough even though the planning application noted that bird as being a likely visitor it wasn’t on the list of four identified in the EPBC referral as being likely to occur in the area.
Those gongs went to the gang gang cockatoo, painted honeyeater, white-throated needletail, and diamond firetail.
Blackrock-backed Akaysha has emerged as one of Australia’s battery powerhouses in just a few short years.
It has 15 battery projects in Australia mainly in development, but two are running – Ulinda Park and Brendale in Queensland – and another two are currently commissioning, according to data from RenewMap.
That portfolio has a total capacity of 5.3 gigawatts (GW) and 18.5 gigawatt hours (GWh), and includes two of the 15 biggest batteries in Australia.
The landmark Waratah Super Battery, the most powerful in the country at 850 MW and 1680 MWh, is now acting as a giant “shock absorber” to the grid in New South Wales (NSW), although a transformer problem means it is still operating at just half its rated capacity.
The 415 MW and 1,660 MWh Orana battery, also in NSW, has a federal underwriting agreement through the Capacity Investment Scheme and a 12-year “virtual” offtake deal for a 200 MW component with EnergyAustralia, and has started sending power to the grid as it starts its own commissioning process.
That battery is due to be finished this year.
See Renew Economy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia for more information.
If you would like to join more than 29,000 others and get the latest clean energy news delivered straight to your inbox, for free, please click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter.
