Queensland

The Queensland government has awarded two key contracts for what it says will be the largest pumped hydro energy project in the world, with the proposed 5 GW/120 GWh Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro energy storage system to form a cornerstone of the state’s energy transition.

Brisbane-based battery materials and technology company Novonix has sealed a $45 million (USD 30 million) deal with South Korean battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution that is complemented by an agreement between the two parties to jointly work toward developing high-performance, synthetic graphite anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Octopus Australia has acquired a 175 MW solar and 400 MWh battery project in Queensland’s Western Downs region. It plans to integrate these assets with its newly commissioned 180 MW Dulacca Wind Farm to create one of Australia’s largest multi-technology renewable energy parks.

Griffith University researchers have developed a tool to identify sites for pumped hydro storage projects. Using North Queensland to demonstrate the tool, the researchers identified 14 potentially feasible sites in the region where the LCOE ranged between $0.04/kWh – $0.27/kWh.

Queensland hydrogen battery startup Endua has installed its first 100kW standalone hydrogen power bank in south Brisbane. The news come weeks after the company raised $11.8 million (USD 7.81 million) to scale the technology.

Queensland has laid out an ambitious vision for the state’s energy future, releasing draft legislation that calls for an additional 22 GW of new wind and solar projects by 2035, supported by at least 12 GW of storage, firming and dispatchable technologies including grid-scale batteries and pumped hydro storage.

Brisbane-based Li-S Energy has developed a 20-layer battery cell utilising semi-solid state lithium sulfur battery technology. The company claims the new cell displays nearly double the gravimetric energy density and a comparable volumetric energy density to lithium-ion cells.

Australia’s largest rail freight operator Aurizon has contracted Progress Rail to convert one of its diesel locomotives to full battery electric operation, paving the way for the greening of its freight-haul rail fleet.

Queensland has opened its first Queensland SuperGrid Training Centre and Transmission Hub in Gladstone. The facility is expected to train 500 energy workers annually in a range of areas, including high voltage technical training.

GemLife, which describes itself as “luxury resort living for the over-50s,” has set up its own Virtual Power Plant (VPP), and is set to invest $75 million in coming years to rollout the VPPs across more than 10,000 homes in its property portfolio on Australia’s east coast.