CleanCo pilots 1.5 MW sodium sulphur battery at Swanbank Clean Energy Hub

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Queensland state-owned electricity generator CleanCo Queensland is piloting Australia’s largest grid-connected sodium sulphur (NAS) long-duration battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub project, 45 kilometres southwest of Brisbane.

The 1.5 MW NAS BESS provides a minimum of six hours of energy storage and is part of a feasibility study in partnership with Victoria-based energy solutions company Allset Energy, to finalise the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement for Swanbank.

Delivered to the site by Allset Energy, the Germany-based chemical giant BASF and Japan-based NGK Insulator-manufactured, stackable modules can expand to GW scale.

CleanCo Chief Executive Officer Tom Metcalfe said the trial is studying the commercial and operational potential of long-duration energy storage to inform how CleanCo can meet evolving needs of customers with reliable, sustainable energy solutions.

The BASF NAS battery consists of sodium as the negative electrode and sulphur as the positive. A beta-alumina ceramic tube functions as electrolyte, which allows only sodium to pass through.

A beta-alumina ceramic tube functions as electrolyte, which allows only sodium to pass through.

Image: BASF

When discharging, sodium is oxidised, and sulphur is reduced to form polysulfide (Na2Sx). The charge step recovers again metallic sodium and elemental sulphur.

The battery runs at temperatures of around 300 degrees C. Both elements are in liquid state when the battery is operation. The cells are packed into a module, whereby six modules are mounted in one battery container.

Allset Energy Managing Director Thomas Buschkuehl said the BASF NAS battery is a globally mature, long duration energy storage technology capable of supporting 24/7 carbon neutral operations.

“Applying this technology, Allset Energy has developed an Australian Standards-compliant, integrated solution for the local market, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with CleanCo and QUT to implement this in Australia’s largest sodium sulphur energy storage solution,” Buschkuehl said.

The Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Energy Storage Research Group will play a role in the study as the knowledge sharing partner.

QUT’s Director of Energy Storage Research Group Associate Professor Joshua Watts said the QUT was genuinely excited to be supporting Australia’s first multi-container NAS BESS deployment.

“This project represents a big leap forward for Australia in adopting the new technologies required to provide stable and secure power to the nation,” Watts said.

The study is expected to be end in early 2025 to support an investment decision in the same year, with the project potentially operational by mid-2026.

The NAS Battery will complement the currently under construction Swanbank Big Battery (lithium-ion phosphate).

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