BY JORDAN REGNIS
Two new batteries are set to be built and operated in the states renewable energy zones, of Aspley and Muswellbrook.
It comes after the state government approved the projects, which involve the building and operation of 120-megawatt and 150-megawatt battery storage systems.
They are then set to be joined up with the current electrical network.
The projects are expected to create 132 jobs, and produce $280 million for the states economy.
Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell, said it will hopefully come online at a similar time to wind and solar farms in the area.
"We're providing a lot of power during the day, when the sun is shining, and these batteries soak up that power, and then at night when the sun isn't shining, deliver it back into our households," he said.
"We've got to make sure we can store the energy, so we can use it for those peak hours between four and eight every evening."
As it stands there are 27 large-scale renewable energy, transmission lines and storage projects under assessment in the NSW planning system.
If approved they would supply 9 gigawatts of renewable energy and 5.5 megawatts of firming storage.
The battery is predicted to be operating towards the end of 2025 and will last for 20 years.
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| Image: The proposed location of the battery. |
