Lyon Group plans to build the world’s biggest solar and battery project in Roxby Downs starting next year

UP to 800,000 individual solar panels will make up the world’s largest solar-plus-battery project which is being targeted for construction in regional South Australia next year.

WORLD’S LARGEST: An artist's impression of the $300 million Kingfisher solar and battery project planned for Roxby Downs.

UP to 800,000 individual solar panels will make up the world’s largest solar plus battery project which is targeted for construction in regional South Australia next year.

The mooted $300 million Kingfisher scheme in Roxby Downs will generate around 100 jobs during construction and is being promoted as a ground breaking enterprise to usher in greater stability and efficiency for solar power output.

Giant batteries housed in shipping container sized units alongside the panels will be used to top up power when required David Green, a director of Brisbane based Lyon Group which is behind the project has announced.

“The area around Roxby Downs is one of the best solar resources in the country,” Mr Green said. “We’re working with the SA government and Roxby Downs council to allocate land for the project.”

The plan comes as SA households and businesses struggle with rising and volatile electricity prices with debate continuing as to how to best integrate renewable energy into the national electricity market.

A benefit is expected to be cheaper energy down the track.

“Baseload electricity pool prices in SA are nearing $100/MWh which is a huge cost for major energy users and affects their productivity and global competitiveness,” he added.

“Investor pressure and economics are lining up behind solar and storage for Australia.”

“SA major energy users need an energy supply answer which reduces costs while also providing a good emission outcome. We think Kingfisher is a big part of the energy solution for the state.”

The scheme is the only finalist for SA projects in the current Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funding round.

The combined utility scale, solar and battery technology will allow large users to store solar generated electricity to provide the level of energy security not previously available at no capital cost to the resource company he said.

The project will also offer major energy users an alternative to new network investment by allowing them to generate renewable energy close to their operations at the fringe of the electricity grid.

“There are two things to balance with renewable energy, the sun and wind,” Mr Green said.

“When you have big issues it puts a very heavy load on the network. You need to understand the flow.

“This design will provide an effective non-network option for large energy users in fringe of grid locations across Australia. It helps companies reduce their emission footprint and can reduce costs, while guaranteeing a reliable supply of electricity for industrial users with large swing loads at no capital cost.”

The scheme will be in two stages:

Stage 1, a 20MW solar PV plus minimum 2MW battery storage with around 160,000 panels is planned for early next year.

Stage 2 will see an expansion to 100MW, a 20MW battery and 800,000 panels, with a completion due by late 2018.

The 20MW battery to be used in Kingfisher stage 2 is the equivalent of 4000 Tesla home battery storage modules.

Kingfisher will connect into the National Electricity Market (NEM) grid at Roxby Downs.

A SA Department of State Development spokesman confirmed it is aware of the Lyon Infrastructure plan

“The State Government met with representatives from Lyon Solar to discuss the proposal, as it does with many proponents through its role in facilitating projects and investment,” he said.

Lyon Group is working on a similar, 30MW project in Cooktown, northern Queensland.

Power market still shocking

By Luke Griffiths

FURTHER evidence of the incredible volatility in South Australia’s electricity market was on show again yesterday when spot prices rose to $14,000 MWh on two separate occasions.

First occurring at 9.20am and again at 4.30pm, it followed a fortnight of high fluctuating prices that have caused significant concern to both business and residential consumers. Earlier this week, The Advertiser revealed that the closure of the Port Augusta power station resulted in immediate price surges of almost 75 per cent. The average daily spot price in May was $46.82 MWh up until Alinta’s 544MW Northern station was turned off, before jumping to $80.47 MWh for the remainder of the month.

Since then, things have only become worse with the June average of $123.10 MWh more than double what it was a year prior. The July average currently is $303.57 MWh. There has been furious debate as to the reasons behind the volatility. These include an upgrade to the interconnector with Victoria, greater demand due to colder weather, rising gas prices and inconsistent supply from renewable sources.

Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said of most concern was that national energy market infrastructure hadn’t kept pace with changing methods of generation. “Coal is old technology that is on the way out ... so it is important we reform the market now,” he said.

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