Octopus Australia has acquired two new development projects including the largest planned battery project in Australia.
Octopus will develop the Hanworth Battery Energy Storage System in New South Wales as well as the Dunmore Solar Farm and Battery project in Queensland.
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At full scale, the 1.2GW/4.8GWh Hanworth Battery, located near Bannaby in NSW, will be the nation’s biggest battery, capable of storing and delivering enough electricity to power more than half a million homes.
The solar-battery development at Dunmore in Queensland will combine a 300MW solar farm with a 150MW/300MWh battery system.
The Hanworth project has been acquired from Australian energy developer Enervest, connecting into Transgrid’s Bannaby Terminal Station. It will support long-term electricity supply contracts for large customers seeking firmed renewables, helping to facilitate the provision of low-emissions power at stable prices.
The Dunmore Solar and Battery project near Toowoomba in Queensland has been acquired from Samsung C&T Renewable Energy Australia (SREA).
Octopus Australia CEO Sam Reynolds said, “While some investors are stepping back, we’re stepping forward.
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“Australia still needs new power stations to replace ageing coal plants. The difference is that today we can build them using a mix of solar, wind, and batteries instead of smokestacks.
“By owning and operating our projects as one portfolio, we can deliver reliable power every day of the year—not just when the sun shines or the wind blows. This is about replacing coal with clean energy that works in the real world.”
