Queensland LNP flags “call-ins” for two giant battery storage projects, in latest attack on renewable transition

Two huge stand-alone battery storage projects in Queensland look set to be “called in” by the state LNP government, raising new concerns about the future of renewable and storage projects in the country’s most coal dependent state.

The two projects are Potentia Energy’s 300 megawatt (MW) and 1,200 megawatt hour (MWh) Capricorn battery project near Bouldercombe in central Queensland, and Trina Solar’s 200 MW, 800 MWh Pleystowe battery project near Mackay.

The $500 million Capricorn battery is the most advanced, and is one of four Queensland-based battery storage projects that won a tender for underwriting agreements under the Federal government’s flagship Capacity Investment Scheme last year.

They are latest potential victims of an LNP government that has already torn up the state’s renewable energy targets, and vowed to keep its state-owned coal fired generators operating until 2050 in some cases, even though the Australian Energy Market Operator has questioned their ongoing reliability.

Both battery storage projects have been vigorously opposed by local LNP member for Mirani Glenn Kelly, who also lobbied for the Moonlight Range wind project to be axed last year, and who celebrated the battery project call-ins on his Facebook page.

“How exciting is this,” Kelly said about the call-ins. “Who would want a BESS project 120 metres from your kitchen. I’m damn sure I wouldn’t.”

Kelly, who says he worked at the Stanwell coal generator in his electorate for 16 years – “the job was dirty and the money was clean,” he says – has been a vigorous opponent of renewable projects, particularly wind farms.

Stanwell, ironically, is building its own big battery sized at 300 MW and 1,200 MWh at the site of the coal fired power station, and the 100 MW, 200 MWh Bouldercombe battery owned and operated by Genex Power is nearby. That battery facility was struck by a fire incident last year.

Kelly was instrumental in encouraging Bleijie to cancel the previously approved 450 MW Moonlight Range wind project in his electorate, a move that Bleijie announced triumphantly on his Facebook page (see image above).

Moonlight Range developer Greenleaf Renewables is seeking to overturn the decision, but Bleijie has been emphatic. “Over my dead body will it ever be approved,” Bleijie said last year.

Bleijie has also called in two wind and battery projects owned by Cubico Investments – the Middle Creek and Marmadua energy parks – whose status remains unresolved seven months after their call in notices were issued.

In September, Bleijie effectively ended the previously-approved 1.2 GW Forest wind project proposed for a state pine plantation, by repealing the law allowing the dual activity to happen. 

Three other wind projects were paused at the start of the year so Bleijie could judge whether they’d done enough community consultation, but ultimately the Bungaban, Wongalee and Theodore developments were approved.

In his own Facebook post, Kelly said the Capricorn and Pleystowe battery projects “lacked adequate community consultation and should never have been proposed so close to homes.

“I support responsible development when it is done properly and with genuine community consultation. The fight for these communities is not over, but standing up against developments that don’t stack up is important, not just now, but for our communities’ future,” he wrote.

The potential call-in for the Capricorn battery has been officially gazetted by Bleijie on the government website. Bleijie says Kelly and Rockhampton deputy mayor Drew Wickerson had requested the move. The document says Wickerson wrote his request on January 6, just one day before the potential call in was officially announced.

Bleijie cites issues around the use of rural farm land, the risk of fire and “thermal runaway”, and potential impacts on waterways and the Great Barrier Reef. The region is already host to two of the biggest coal and gas export hubs in the world.

A spokesperson for Potentia Energy, a joint venture between Italian energy giant Enel Green Power and Japan’s Inpex, confirmed that the Queensland government has issued a proposed call in notice for the Capricorn battery.

“This proposed battery project is designed to drive down electricity prices for families and businesses and help provide a clean, more reliable and stronger energy network for all Queenslanders,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“We are committed to working constructively with the Government throughout this objective assessment process.”

In the proposed Pleystowe call in, also posted on January 7, Bleijie cites similar concerns, as well as the requests made by Kelly and Mackay regional council Mayor Greg Williamson.

Both battery projects were recommended for approval by council officers as they conformed to planning rules, but the council’s declined to approve the project. In the case of Pleystowe, Trina Solar appealed to the Planning and Environment Court in December, but Bleijie says his ruling will void any appeal to that court.

He also noted that since Trina Solar’s court application, the Queensland government has modified its planning rules to put the same constraints on battery projects as had been previously imposed on wind and solar projects.

Trina Solar has been contacted for comment.

See also Renew Economy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia for more information.

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