Potentia Energy’s grid-scale battery project at Emeroo is the first to be granted an environmental approval under new South Australian legislation for renewable energy projects.
The $400 million Emeroo Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, about 15km northeast of Port Augusta, is co-located with the existing Bungala Solar Farm and includes a 225MW system, expected to deliver up to four hours of energy storage.
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Now its Statement of Environmental Objectives (SEO) has been officially approved under South Australia’s Hydrogen and Renewable Energy (HRE) Act, making it the first BESS facility in the state to reach this stage of approvals under the new legislation.
Potentia Energy CEO Werther Esposito said, “South Australia leads the country in many aspects of renewable energy and this is clearly a government committed to attracting and supercharging investment for the people of this state.
“This new legislation is just one aspect of South Australia’s forward thinking, which is why other states are looking to it as a model for pioneering work in the transition to cleaner energy.
“Our company is also honoured to have this validation of the work we are already doing in this critical region for the state, with the industry-leading Bungala Solar Farm.”
The HRE Act, which came into effect in July last year, introduces a comprehensive and transparent regulatory framework for renewable energy infrastructure, including BESS projects exceeding 5MW, ensuring high environmental, community and cultural standards are met.
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The new legislation also streamlines the regulatory process for these projects, aiming to provide investment certainty and reduce red tape.
Project development for Emeroo BESS will now advance, subject to final approval steps under the HRE Act and a final investment decision. Construction is anticipated to start in 2026 and targeted to be fully operational in 2028.
