The Queensland Government is supporting the development of a local battery manufacturing industry through a $25 million investment in Energy Storage Industries Asia Pacific (ESI), a leading manufacturer of long-duration energy storage systems.
ESI has also raised a further $40 million in private capital and will use the combined funds to continue construction of its Maryborough manufacturing facility, where it will assemble iron flow LDES using core components made by ESS inc.
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Early works have begun at the Maryborough site which, when fully operational by mid-2029, will have created up to 273 full-time jobs.
Flow battery technology has the potential to deliver longer duration energy storage of up to 14 hours, which is vital as the world continues to decarbonise and increase its generation of clean and renewable energy.
ESI Asia Pacific managing director Stuart Parry said, “ESI is a Queensland-based, Australian-owned manufacturer of proven grid-scale battery technology that solves a key problem in the energy transition—how to provide renewable grid-scale energy overnight.
“Thanks to this far-sighted support from Treasury and private investors, the first production of Australian-made grid-scale batteries will take place in Queensland by the end of 2025.
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“ESI is targeting the delivery of 400MW of energy storage annually from 2029—enough to power a city the size of Toowoomba each year.
“Importantly, key battery components will be sourced from throughout Queensland, supporting businesses and creating skilled jobs in local communities.”
