A battery storage facility in Bargara is one step closer to fruition with an application for the development recently submitted to Bundaberg Regional Council by Energy Queensland.
The application seeks approval for a Material Change of Use (Development Permit) for Battery Storage Facility and Reconfiguring a Lot (Creation of a Lease exceeding a 10-year term) at 18 School Lane, Windermere.
If approved, the project will connect to the existing Ergon Bargara 66/11kV Substation and provide a new network connected battery storage trial in Queensland.
The batteries will store excess electricity generated from renewable sources during daylight hours and distribute it back into the network during the evening peak demand.
The application states the innovative effort will support the goal of 50% of consumed power in Queensland to be generated from renewables by 2030.
This will see 40MWh of battery storage installed across five locations where rooftop solar penetration is high, and at Ergon substations sites in Townsville, Yeppoon, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Toowoomba
According to the application, September 2020 saw a record minimum instantaneous demand for electricity in Queensland, being 31% lower than the previous year’s minimum demand.
“Rapid growth in rooftop solar generation means system demand is becoming lower during daylight hours, as customers with solar PV are not only satisfying their own demand but are also exporting excess electricity back into the electricity grid,” the application reads.
“Lower daytime demand means coal-fired generators need to turn-down and then ramp-up in the early evening to ensure adequate supply.
“Commercial scale solar farms and wind farms may need to constrain their output during the day due to insufficient system demand and increased power supply from rooftop installations.”
Meanwhile, peak demand in the evening continues to increase, according to the application.
“These batteries will provide economic benefits right across Queensland and contribute towards economic recovery,” the application reads.
“Energy storage, like batteries, can help move electricity from when it’s in surplus in the daytime, to when it’s needed in the evening.
“Batteries create load during the day and can instantaneously ramp up when discharging during the peak.”
The application states installing batteries at the distribution level will reduce reverse power flow, unload transformers and allow cheaper wholesale power during the day to be supplied to customers during the evening.
