Maoneng secures planning approval to build biggest battery in South Australia

Sydney-based solar and battery storage developer Maoneng has received development approval for its pioneering Gould Creek battery in South Australia that will be around double the state’s biggest existing battery at Hornsdale.

The Gould Creek Battery Energy Storage System will be located just 22kms to the north east of Adelaide, and will be sized at a 225MW/450MWh, giving two hours storage and trumping the recently expanded Hornsdale Power Reserve, which is now rated at 150MW/194MWh.

The approval has come from South Australia’s Minister for Planning and Local Government, and has previously won Crown sponsorship support from the Department for Energy and Mining.

Maoneng says the Gould Creek battery will boost South Australia’s grid reliability and network stability by charging from the grid during off-peak periods, allowing it to dispatch electricity to the grid immediately during peak periods.

South Australia already leads the nation, and the world, in the share of wind and solar in the local grid. They met an average of more than 62 per cent of local demand over the last two years, and the local government is aiming for “net 100 per cent” renewables by 2030.

Construction work for the project is expected to begin in late 2022 with completion and operation expected for 12 months later. Maoneng expects construction of the project will deliver up to 160 full time equivalent jobs.

“This approval is good news for all South Australians, as more battery storage will help smooth the transition to clean energy,” said Morris Zhou, Maoneng’s co-founder and CEO.

“South Australia has high levels of renewable energy generation, which is a positive development but can create challenges balancing supply and demand due to the intermittency of renewables.

“Our proposed battery storage will help manage this, supporting local energy reliability and security while also promoting greater uptake of renewables as a whole.”

Maoneng is also working on other big batteries, including 200MW and 400MWh of battery storage on behalf of AGL in NSW, with sites ear-marked at Sunraysia and Lismore, and is also working on a plans for a 240MW/480MWh big battery in Victoria.

The Gould Creek battery is unlikely to remain the biggest in South Australia for long, with AGL planning a battery at Torrens Island that will begin at 250MW with one hour storage but will likely grow to 250MW and 1000MWh over time, and Hornsdale owner Neoen is planning a 900MW/1800MWh battery at Goyder South.