Genex Power says will purchase 40 Tesla Megapack battery units for its 50MW/100MWh Bouldercombe big battery in Queensland, which will become one of the largest standalone battery storage projects in Australia.
Genex will use the latest version of Tesla’s Megapack batteries, lithium iron phosphate battery cells, which are less prone to thermal runaway than the conventional lithium ion alternatives. The Megapacks are expected to be delivered during 2022, with full operation expected by 2023.
The big battery will be built adjacent to the Bouldercombe 275kV/132kV substation near Rockhampton in Queensland and will provide key network support services to the Queensland grid, with the business case for the project being based on both energy arbitrage and FCAS markets.
The Bouldercombe battery will also form the first part of Genex’s “Como battery strategy” with the company planning to roll out further big batteries throughout the grid.
Genex said that it was nearing financial close on the project and was in negotiations with potential lenders to the battery project and is aiming to conclude negotiations with an off-taker for the project too.
Genex CEO James Harding said that choosing Tesla as the supplier of the battery components was a major step forward for the project and will allow them to work with a provider with significant experience in large battery deployments and the Australian market.