Queensland to add more than a dozen new regional batteries to soak up solar

The Queensland government owned Energy Queensland is to install a dozen more batteries in regional Queensland to boost local network storage capacity, particularly in areas with large amounts of rooftop solar.

Six 4MW/8MWh batteries have already been installed on local networks at Bohle Plains and Black River near Townsville, Kleinton near Toowoomba, Bargara near Bundaberg, Tanby near Rockhampton, and at Torquay near Harvey Bay.

A dozen more will be added in regional areas once final assessments have been delivered, according to Energy Queensland CEO Rod Duke.

Nine potential sites have already been identified, including at Cairns, and other regional areas.

Energy Queensland is using a variety of battery technology providers, including Tesla, CATL, and others. It is also looking at vanadium flow batteries. It has a “ring fencing” agreement that it allows it to use the full value stack of the batteries, including trading and as network support.

“I recently spoke … about the need to drastically increase the storage capacity in Queensland – now we can start doing that,” Duke said in a statement.

“The new batteries will be spread across major centres in regional Queensland near communities that have significant rooftop solar generation because we know that’s where they will have the greatest overall benefit.

“The network of the future will not only need to move electricity from where it is generated to where it’s going to be used, but also to when it’s consumed.”

Duke said the initial six 8MWh batteries would be fully commissioned soon, and would enable the company to “move electricity in both space and time” and provide greater network stability and reliability.