Engineer named for biggest solar and battery project on Australia’s main grid

Genex Power has hired design services firm Arup as the “owner’s engineer” for stage 1 of the proposed 2 gigawatt Bulli Creek solar and battery storage project in southern Queensland.

The appointment of Arup relates to the 775MW Stage 1 of the project, which Genex still hopes to build despite uncertainty around the fate of its biggest off-taker, the huge Gibson Island green hydrogen project proposed by iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals.

Genex and Fortescue announced the deal in late 2023, but a sign-off has been delayed because Fortescue is not yet fully committed to the Gibson Island project, concerned about the balance of energy costs and other issues.

Genex, however, is still hopeful. The Bulli Creek project will start with 775MW of solar, before adding a 400MW/1,600MWh battery storage component. Subsequent stages including both solar and/or storage will be built to maximise the full 2GW capacity of the project.

The site for the project is 45kms from Milmerran, adjacent to Powerlink’s 330kV Bulli Creek substation, which will provide ample grid connection capacity and serves as the connection point for the Queensland-NSW Interconnector.

An Owner’s Engineer is a relatively new role, and serves as independent expert advocate for the owner of a project, supplementing the owner’s resources with the necessary technical capabilities and expertise needed to design and bring a project to completion.

“We’re excited to be working with Genex on developing vital infrastructure for supporting Australia’s energy transition,” said Ian Hustwick, Arup project director.

“Arup’s energy business is focussed on developing and growing the technology systems of the future and contributing to more rapid decarbonisation. The Bulli Creek Solar Project embodies our commitment to creating the energy supply chains that will power a net zero world.”

The announcement comes nearly four months after Genex Power named PCL Contractors as its preferred contractor for the first 775MW stage.