Quinbrook closes first stage of 2 GWh Supernode battery project

Quinbrook Infrastructure has begun building the $325 million (USD 212 million) first stage of its approved Supernode project that will eventually host an up to 800 MW / 2,000 MWh battery energy storage system designed to support the data centre and provide dispatchable services to the grid in southeast Queensland.

Queensland-based Quinbrook said it had secured the financing for the Supernode’s first stage battery project after locking in an offtake agreement with Origin Energy. Australia’s largest electricity retailer has committed to buy the full capacity of the initial 250 MW, two-hour battery energy storage system under a long-term offtake contract.

The Supernode battery will utilise cells from an international manufacturer paired with inverters supplied and integrated by United States-headquartered GE Vernova. The 250 MWh first stage is due to be delivered in the second half of 2025 with further expansions to follow.

David Scaysbrook, co-founder and Managing Partner of Quinbrook, said when operational the Supernode battery will enable the efficient storage of surplus solar and wind energy, aid the displacement of coal and other emissions-intensive generation sources, and provide support for the grid.

“The successful close of Supernode stage one is significant for Queensland as it delivers valuable large-scale storage at the best possible location in the state’s power grid,” he said.

The Supernode project is being developed on a 30-hectare site in the northern Brisbane suburb of Brendale. The site is adjacent to the South Pine substation, the central node of Queensland’s electricity grid where more than 80% of all power capacity located in the state transmits to. The site has three separate high-voltage connections.

“The South Pine site is a unique and strategic location offering unparalleled power supply access and redundancy,” Scaysbrook said, adding that the Supernode battery “will directly address stability issues facing the grid as a result of record levels of rooftop solar installation across Queensland.”

Quinbrook Australia regional leader Brian Restall said the project has been fully developed by the Quinbrook team, all the way from concept, land acquisition, permitting, procurement and offtake.

“It is a case study in how we create value for our offtakers and investors alike,” he said.

The agreement with Origin is one of the largest binding battery offtakes on a MW basis signed to date in Australia between two non-government parties.

Origin energy supply and operations Executive General Manager Greg Jarvis said the contract is part of the gentailer’s broader strategy to grow its renewables and storage portfolio, noting that “storage will play an increasingly important role in the provision of reliable energy supply.”

“This is the first time Origin has contracted the offtake of a battery, expanding our storage portfolio to 1 GW once Supernode and our large-scale batteries at Eraring and Mortlake power stations come online,” he said.