Big battery plan to help Government meet its emissions targets

A big step towards the Government achieving its 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030 with announcement a tender has been awarded for new big battery.

MONDAY: GLOBAL technology giant Hitachi Energy has been picked to build a giant storage battery for the Darwin-Katherine electricity grid.

Announced Monday, Hitachi Energy will build the 35MVA (megavolt amps) Darwin-Katherine Battery Energy Storage System for the Darwin Katherine grid – the first high specification security battery in the Territory.

Government says this will be a major step towards improving the Territory’s energy storage capacity and reducing emissions in line with Labor’s net zero target by 2050.

Nicknamed DK BESS, the $45m project will be located at T-Gen’s Channel Island Power Station.

Aimed at reducing gas generation on the Darwin-Katherine grid, the battery will unlock further capacity for households to connect their rooftop PV or for industry to invest into lower cost solar systems for the commercial and industrial operations.

Because the battery will be continuously online, it will replace a gas fired generator at Channel Island.

Hitachi Energy managing director Bernard Norton said the battery will help deliver a carbon-neutral energy future.

“We are enabling the Territory to met ambitious renewable energy targets by harnessing abundant solar resources and move towards a carbon-neutral energy future,” he said.

“Hitachi’s battery energy storage system will allow greater penetration of renewable energy in the Territory, helping to ensure a sustainable, flexible and secure energy system for today’s generations and those to come.”

Renewables and Energy Minister Eva Lawler said the BESS tender was the cornerstone of the Darwin-Katherine system.

“We want Territorians to have access to the latest and best technology as we build a stronger and more resilient power system for Territory households and business,” she said.

“Our electricity will be reliable and stable, while also being affordable for Territorians.”

EARLIER, HYDROGEN: AN OFF-GRID hydrogen project in Central Australia is building steam, with the NT government on Monday announcing it had been granted Major Project Status.

The Desert Bloom hydrogen project is a staged commercial-scale green hydrogen operation developed to produce renewable energy for Territory Generation’s Tennant Creek Power Station – with a view to ultimately produce hydrogen for export markets.

The NT government says it has the potential to grow to a $15bn project and – at its peak – could employ more than 1000 full-time staff to carry out construction, while 120 jobs could be created to operate and maintain the project.

When complete, the project is expected to deliver around 410,000 tonnes per annum of hydrogen for domestic and international export markets.

While the NT government continues to face backlash over granting the controversial Singleton Station water licence, it has hailed this project as a means to secure “a sustainable water source” for the production of renewable hydrogen in Central Australia.

The project is backed by Sanguine Impact Investment, which has committed $1bn required for the project’s initial stages, and to provide the capital to roll out the full project.

The developers of the Northern Territory hydrogen project aim to harness local solar supplies. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

Construction for the first stage of the project will require approximately 100 full-time construction jobs, and six full-time jobs for ongoing operations.

The next steps of this project include the NT government working with Desert Bloom Hydrogen to develop the staged project to its potential export scale, including identifying suitable land in Central Australia to harness solar energy and ensuring adherence to standard best practice regulatory processes and approvals.

Awarding of Major Project Status follows the company’s 12-week trial in the Barkly earlier this year.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said Desert Bloom marked the Territory’s first major hydrogen project, and was a promise of “more jobs in more places”.

“We are supporting a world-leading renewable hydrogen project in technology that captures water from the atmosphere in arid environments,” Mr Gunner said.

“With one of the best solar resources in the world – and the development of projects like Desert Bloom – the Territory will play a leading role in the emerging renewable hydrogen market.”

Originally published as Big battery plan to help Government meet its emissions targets