The South Australian State Government has granted development approval to Maoneng Australia’s $150 million, 225MW project at Gould Creek.
Located just 22 kilometres outside Adelaide, Maoneng Australia’s Gould Creek Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will power 40,000 homes during peak hour, once completed in 2023.
Allison Hawke, Director of Development at Maoneng Australia, said the Gould Creek BESS would store approximately 450MWh of electricity, providing stability to the South Australian grid.
“The rise in cheap, renewable energy is inevitable and will come sooner than forecast,” Ms Hawke continued.
“The South Australian Government has, and continues to be, ahead of the curve in embracing this technology and the direct and indirect jobs, skills and business opportunities that this new industry offers.
“Maoneng is excited to be amongst the early movers in this era of change.”
According to her, the project will provide up to 160 construction jobs and two full time maintenance positions once construction is complete.
“This phase will last for between nine to 12 months,” Ms Hawke noted.
“A commercial benefit of battery and other forms of renewable energy is that the ongoing operation can be managed remotely. There will be an on-site control centre and maintenance facilities.
“Maoneng is in talks with the Industry Capability Network to make sure local businesses and contractors can be positioned to capitalise on local job and business opportunities.”
SA’s Minister for Trade and Investment Stephen Patterson welcomed the development approval for the Gould Creek BESS project.
“South Australia’s reputation as Australia’s leader in renewable energy investment and our credentials of producing around 60 per cent of our energy capacity from renewable sources, is helping to attract further investment into our state and creating jobs,” Minister Patterson said.
“This is a significant investment by Maoneng Australia into South Australia’s continuing commitment towards a sustainable future and I’m delighted to see an Australian-owned company that is so committed to the development of projects that are critical for powering a sustainable world.
“As innovators of technology, Maoneng Australia’s large-scale renewable projects create attractive investment prospects for interested parties throughout the world.”
