Port of Newcastle Gains Approval For Battery Storage

BY RUBY VAN DE WIJGAART

The Port of Newcastle is the first in the state approved to store grid-scale lithium-ion batteries. 

Approval was granted by the NSW Government in late 2025, enabling the port to receive and store the devices for three of the state's largest battery projects -- Origin Energy's Eraring Battery, AGL's Tomago Battery, and Bellambi Heights Battery Energy Storage System.

The projects will gather roughly 1.7 gigawatts of controllable capacity along with 6.8 gigawatts of energy storage, enough to power millions of homes in times of demand. 

The complexity of the cargo requires specialist handling and purposely build infrastructure in order to ensure the safety of the product and those tasked to handle the batteries. 

CEO Craig Carmody says this approval opens up a pipeline for number of renewable opportunities. 

"This is not just important for the port and our diversification strategy," he said. 

"This is another way of firming up the energy supply in NSW, it allows these big industrial projects to push ahead." 

The port is investing in expanded infrastructure at its Multi Purpose Terminal in Mayfield, actively executing a $36 million waterside berth extension to accommodate larger multipurpose vessels.

Picture supplied. 

The State Government Approves Battery for Muswellbrook

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.

Image: The proposed location of the battery.

Origin Gives Final Green Light for Eraring Battery

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Origin Energy Limited has approved the construction of a large-scale battery at the Eraring Power Station.

The energy giant has committed to an investment of $600 million for the project. 

The 460 MW Battery will have a dispatch time of two hours, and is set to come online in late 2025.  

There's also an option to increase the battery to 700 MW and a four hour dispatch in the future.

The project received initial planning approval from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment in May 2022. 

Construction work is set to begin within a matter of weeks. 

Super Battery to go on Former Munmorah Power Station Site

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The biggest battery in the Southern Hemisphere has been confirmed for the site of the former Munmorah Power Station. 

It's expected the 850 Megawatt NSW Waratah Super Battery facility will be up-and-running by 2025, with hopes it will in line-up with the closure of the Eraring Power Station. 

Swansea MP Yasmin Catley is welcoming the move, saying the project will generate hundreds of jobs in the construction and ongoing maintenance of the facility.

"Labor has fought hard to ensure that the Waratah Super Battery is located in the this region. We envision that the Munmorah site will become a renewable energy manufacturing hub." 

There's concern for the future of a 76 hectare Ash Dam which sits on the site, with environmentalists calling for remediator Generator Property Management to release its plans for the pond.