UK-based renewables developer Pacific Green has revealed plans to develop one of Australia’s largest grid-scale battery energy parks in Portland, Victoria.
Once operational, the 2.5GWh Portland Energy Park will be one of the country’s biggest grid-scale battery parks. It will provide critical support for existing and proposed renewables projects within Victoria’s Southwest Renewable Energy Zone and strengthen energy supply and stability for households across the state.
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By accelerating the shift to renewable energy usage in the evening peak, displacing more expensive gas generation, the Portland Energy Park will result in an estimated 3.8% reduction in total wholesale energy costs for Victorian households. The discharging of energy from the park will also enable the avoidance of approximately 66,900 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
The Portland Energy Park will be strategically positioned near the Portland Aluminium smelter and the Portland Water Treatment Plant, enabling the development to seamlessly integrate with the existing electrical infrastructure positioned across the proposed project location.
Pacific Green will develop approximately 30ha for the proposed energy park, which will include four 250MW battery energy parks, a 500/33kV collector, and a 500kV terminal station and grid connection to the existing 500kV transmission line.
No new infrastructure is required outside of the project boundaries, with impacts on local residents expected to be minimal both during both construction and once the park is operational.
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The Portland Energy Park is currently going through its regulatory approval process and is scheduled to be constructed in the first half of 2025.
The development is the latest step in Pacific Green’s expansion into Australia after the announcement in 2023 of plans for a 0.5GW/1.5GWh battery energy park in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia.
