Coal town seeks to add a third big battery alongside solar farm in shift from fossil fuels

The Western Australia coal town of Collie is on track to add a third big battery to its regional grid, with a proposal for a 200 megawatt (MW) energy storage system alongside a 66 MW solar farm scheduled for assessment by a state planning panel next week.

The $500 million project, which is being developed by Enpowered for its owner, property developer Hesperia, was recommended for approval this week by the Shire of Collie, for about 14 kilometres northeast of the Collie township.

The proposed 200 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) – the storage duration yet to be specified – would sit just across the road from Neoen’s Collie BESS, one of the biggest batteries under construction in Australia, with a final-stage capacity of 560 MW and 2,240 megawatt-hours (MWh).

A bit further away to the south, another BESS is being built next to the Collie Power station by WA state-owned gentailer Synergy, in this case with a total capacity of 500 MW and 2,000 MWh.

According to information published by the council, the site for the proposed Hesperia project is straddled on both the northern and southern sides of Collie-Williams Road and currently used for farming.

“The broader locality encompasses State forest, agriculture, mining, and large-scale energy developments, including the nearby Bluewater Power Station, Collie Power Station, Collie (Neon) BESS, and Synergy BESS. The site is also close to existing major energy (electrical) infrastructure, including high-voltage transmission lines,” the documents say.

The multiplication of new energy projects has not gone unnoticed to some locals. According to the Shire of Collie, a 28-day public consultation period for the proposed BESS attracted three objections, from three adjacent property owners.

The objecting parties cited concerns of overdevelopment and incompatibility with rural amenity, adverse impact on views and rural landscape character and degradation of general amenity.

Other concerns raised in the objections from neighbouring properties included fire risk, impact on land values, pollution from heavy metals in the batteries, soil damage from solar panels, raised security risk during construction and “health issues from electromagnetic radiation.”

In response to these concerns, council says planning conditions have been included in its approval recommendation, including to address and manage increase traffic, bush fire risks, visual impact and environmental impacts.

The council also notes that the solar and battery project has been designed to “retain limited agricultural activities (sheep grazing) on the site” and says the project already has state environmental approval.

“Shire Officers are not aware of any evidence that renewable energy facilities and BESS’s do not meet required electromagnetic radiation safety standards or pose a risk to human or animal health,” it adds.

The company behind the project, Hesperia, bills itself as a specialist in sustainable property development projects “that solve pressing environmental, social, and economic problems.”

In 2022, Hesperia founded the subsidiary Enpowered, as a 100% renewable energy supply business. According to a company report, Enpowered started serving its first customers with 100% renewable electricity in 2024, through an embedded network at its Victoria House project in Perth suburb Shenton Park.

“Enpowered has since commenced the delivery of renewable energy services at Murdoch Square and is exploring a range of other opportunities,” the report says.

Hesperia’s Collie solar and BESS project will go before the state Development Assessment Panel on Wednesday August 27 at 9.30am.

Renew Economy is seeking comment from Hesperia on its current and future large-scale renewable energy development plans.