Goulburn solar hybrid to include side hustle as testing site for semi solid state battery

A new solar farm and battery hybrid project proposed for New South Wales’ (NSW) Southern Tablelands will also become a test site for new energy technologies, including a semi solid state battery under a deal with landowner, the University of Sydney.

As well as the now common solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) hybrid infrastructure, developer Spark Renewables says it will also build a test-bed facility with a 100 kVw simulated “dummy load” at the proposed Wattle Creek energy hub.

The testing facility is for university researchers to test new clean energy technologies, and for the university’s lithium-sulfur battery spin out Gelion to test its semi-solid state technology.

Spark Renewables was sought out by the University of Sydney to build a hybrid energy project and is now owned by Malaysian energy utility Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

The energy project itself has a few moving parts.

The 265 megawatt (MW) Wattle Creek solar farm will have its own two hour, 100 MW BESS. But also on site will be a separate four hour, 350 MW BESS as well. Both will connect into the neighbouring Marulan substation. 

It was originally supposed to include a wind component as well, but that idea was taken out of the final pitch.

And as it’s all sited on the University of Sydney’s Arthursleigh farm, of course sheep are a factor as well, with the scoping report saying appropriate fencing and watering points will be included in the final design.

Wattle Creek is not in a renewable energy zone (REZ) but is surrounded by industrial sites and other clean energy projects. 

Energy Australia has gone through the motions of filing planning applications for the Marulan gas-fired power plant on land directly to the south of the new Wattle Creek project. It even won planning approval in 2009 and had that extended, with physical works required to start by 26 October this year. But with no movement on that idea, Energy Australia says it is exploring other uses for the land.

Other industrial projects in the area are three quarries, a limestone mine and a coal mine. In terms of clean energy, there are 12 other wind and solar farms either operating or proposed for the area, according to the scoping report.

The Wattle Creek solar-BESS project is now open for public comment under the federal environmental approval system, the EPBC. It is also in the early stages of the NSW planning process.

Although the site has been used as research farmland for decades and for university robotics and avionics research, the federal environmental concerns are around the endangered Gang-Gang cockatoos that have been seen on the site, and the South-eastern Glossy Black cockatoo, Diamond Firetail finch, and Striped Legless and Striped Snake lizards.

Part of the management plan is set to include adding habitat features such as hollow logs, tree hollows, fallen timber and rocks/boulders, and moving topsoil, timber and native mulch to other sites.