French developer Neoen gets regulatory approval to build massive 1000MW/4000MWh battery storage project in Western Australia
A giant 4GWh battery proposed by French renewable energy developer Neoen for the coal town Collie in Western Australia has won development approval, allowing the French company to get set for breaking ground on the first stage of the project next year.
The Shire of Collie and the Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) have given development approval for the 1000MW/4000MWh battery, which is set to be sited near the last of the Collie coal fired power generators due to close in 2027.
The battery will be built in 200MW/800MWh stages — a size that will be able to support 260,000 households for one hour — to cater to rising demand for storage over time.
The application said Neoen intends to start building the first stage in 2023, during which it will support 150 jobs, and have it operational in 2025 with eight ongoing roles.
The battery will connect to the Western Power network via the Western Power Shotts Terminal, with a goal of providing energy security for the region and supporting new industries.
Neoen is a pioneer in big batteries in Australia having installed the 100MW/129MWh Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia which was at the time the largest in the world and has since been expanded to 150MW/193MWh.
[Rachel Williamson]
More: Neoen wins approval for 4GWh battery to be built near retiring coal plants
