Chinchilla Battery project end date in sight, following partnership with Tesla

Tech giant Tesla will help power one of the state’s largest batteries and supply renewable energy to 30,000 homes in the Western Downs. Here’s how it will work.

East Coast Crane workers on the Chinchilla Battery project. Picture: contributed.

The construction of a $150m system to provide Western Downs residents with renewable energy is fully underway and will see the finalisation towards the end of 2023.

International tech giant Tesla partnered with Queensland’s CS Energy to build one of the state’s largest batteries that will see wind and solar energy stored during the day, and be distributed to 30,000 homes in peak periods of the evening.

The Chinchilla Battery project is part of the Kogan Creek Energy Hub and is a step in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan that committed to delivering 70 per cent renewable energy by 2032.

Treasurer and Investment Minister Cameron Dick said the Kogan Creek Energy Hub would help support “more skilled jobs in regional communities”.

All 80 of the Tesla Megapack units for the battery have been delivered and installed, with testing expected to be conducted later in the year with an operational date of late 2023.

Chinchilla Battery April 2023. Picture: contributed

Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Minister Mick de Brenni said due to coal-fired power stations being publicly owned, the state government would be able to convert them all into Clean Energy Hubs by 2035.

“The Kogan Creek Clean Energy Hub is the most advanced in the state, with construction to begin soon on its second project – the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant,” he said.

In 2020, Tesla threw its hat into the ring and was short-listed as a candidate to supply batteries to Queensland’s first large-scale storage battery to be built outside of Rockhampton.

CS Energy acting CEO Andrew Varvari said the Chinchilla Battery would support CS Energy’s strategy to meet customers’ requirements and support the state’s future energy needs.

“Batteries are fast and flexible, with the ability to ramp up and down quickly to support the stability of the power and reduce wholesale price volatility,” he said.

“When operational, the Chinchilla Battery will charge during the day when there is often a surplus of solar energy and then release it back into the grid when it is needed the most.”

The battery project will be connected to the grid via Powerlink’s 275kV Western Downs substation.