CS Energy has provided an update on its Chinchilla battery project, a $150 million venture that will utilize 80 Tesla Megapack systems with a capacity of 100MW/200MWh. The Chinchilla Battery, located near the Kogan Creek Site in Chinchilla, Australia, is part of CS Energy’s Kogan Clean Energy Hub.
The Chinchilla battery project demonstrates the commitment of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan by providing firm storage for renewable generation. The deployment of Tesla’s Megapack systems supports the goal of creating more skilled jobs in regional communities.
The battery system, with a discharge capacity of 100 megawatts and a storage capacity of 200 megawatt hours, relies on 80 Tesla Megapacks that come fully integrated with battery modules, inverters, and thermal systems. The Chinchilla battery will connect to the grid through Powerlink’s 275 kV Western Downs substation. It is estimated that during evening peak hours, the Chinchilla battery can power 33,000 homes in the area for up to two hours.
The Chinchilla battery project is currently in the testing and commissioning phase, with expectations for it to be operational by late 2023 or early 2024. CS Energy also plans to construct a Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration plant alongside the Chinchilla battery.
The Kogan Creek Clean Energy Hub, which includes the Chinchilla battery, is part of the Queensland government’s plan to convert all publicly owned coal-fired power stations into Clean Energy Hubs by 2035. The Kogan Creek Clean Energy Hub is already underway with the construction of its second project, the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant.
Source: CS Energy