Yancoal proposes solar and 12-hour pumped hydro storage for Hunter mine site

Australia’s largest listed coal miner is proposing to transform a retiring mine site in the New South Wales Hunter region into a renewable energy hub featuring a 330MW solar farm and 3.6 GWh of pumped hydro capable of dispatching 300MW over a 12-hour period.

Yancoal Australia has published a scoping report for the Stratford Renewable Enegry Hub, which proposes to transition the open-cut coal mine of the same name to solar and pumped hydro energy storage at the end of its working life.

The pumped hydro storage would incorporate the coal mine’s existing dams and water supply, the report says, while a portion of the energy generated by the solar farm would be used to pump water from a lower reservoir back to an upper reservoir through a tunneled waterway.

The report says the site has a number of strategic advantages, including an existing source of water from the Stratford mine voids, ability to repurpose existing mining land and infrastructure, access to existing regional transport routes and population centres and direct access to an existing transmission line.

“These strategic advantages reduce potential impacts of the project relative to other pumped hydro projects that may be developed in more remote locations and/or in undisturbed environment,” the scoping report says.

“The development of the SREH also provides an opportunity for ongoing investment, employment and socio-economic benefits in the Gloucester Valley, following the cessation of mining.”

In a project update in March, Yancoal says the mine is on track to cease coal mining operations by mid 2024, with work already underway to ensure final rehabilitation is completed to achieve government sign off.

The company says it is in the process of preparing a feasibility study for the renewables hub, while also preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to support its application for state and federal approvals.

“The proposed SREH represents an opportunity for Yancoal to transition the Stratford site from an operating mine into a renewable energy project,” the update says.

Yancoal says if the project goes ahead it could create up to 350 full time jobs over the four-year construction period, and around 10 full time employees once operational.

According to the Newcastle Herald, MidCoast Council mayor Claire Pontin is “fully supportive” of the proposed renewables hub, describing pumped hydro, in particular, as “a very good use of the land.”

“[The SREH] will add to the necessary diversity of renewable energy sources,” Pontin told the paper. 

“Council are in discussions with Yancoal over the planning arrangements and hopefully we can also negotiate the use of some of the land for community projects.”