Pumped Hydro

Three pumped hydro projects that would deliver a combined 1,035 MW / 9,480 MWh of dispatchable capacity are among six projects that have been declared critical state significant infrastructure by the New South Wales government, potentially smoothing the way for their approval.

Plans to build a 5 GW / 120 GWh pumped hydro energy storage system in Queensland’s Pioneer Valley have received a positive boost with geotechnical investigations revealing the site is ideally suited for dam and tunnel construction.

The increasing role of pumped hydro technology in Australia’s renewable energy transition is expected to be mirrored in the neighbouring Southeast Asia region with international consultancy Rystad Energy tipping the total capacity of operational projects will surge from the current 2.3 GW to 18 GW by 2033.

Japanese energy utility J-Power’s proposed acquisition of Australian renewables and pumped hydro developer Genex Power has received Foreign Investment Review Board approval.

AGL Energy has followed suit with Origin Energy to say it will shift from direct investment into renewable energy generation toward decarbonisation targets, favouring alternatives like pumped hydro, gas and batteries.

Queensland’s pipeline of pumped hydro storage projects continues to grow with Victorian-based renewables company BE Power announcing plans to develop an 800 MW / 9.6 GWh project at Mount Alma near Gladstone.

While most long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies are still early stage and costly compared to lithium-ion batteries, some have already, or are, set to achieve lower costs for longer durations, finds BloombergNEF.

The New South Wales government has made history, opening two significant tenders for projects of up to 1 GW of new, long-duration storage, and up to 3.98 GW of access rights to the South West Renewable Energy Zone.

Australian miner Evolution Mining is moving on a $7 billion plan to build a 2 GW / 20 GWh pumped hydro electricity generation facility in the pit of a 20-year-old gold mine in southeast Queensland.

Development of an 800 mw / 9,600 MWh pumped hydro project within the New South Wales government’s Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone is advancing with renewables company Acen Australia announcing it has started geological works on site.