South Australia’s largest battery storage project to date will create 160 jobs and power up to 40,000 homes, with the State Government granting development approval to Maoneng Australia’s $150 million, 225MW project at Gould Creek.

Maoneng Australia’s $150 million investment in its 225MW Gould Creek Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will see the company power 40,000 homes during peak hour, once completed in 2023.

Located just 22 kilometres outside Adelaide and covering approximately 3.4 hectares of land, the project is expected to take 12 months to complete and will provide up to 160 construction jobs and two full time maintenance positions once construction is complete.

The Gould Creek BESS will store approximately 450MWh of electricity and will embed electricity generation to supply into the Australian grid and support South Australia’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to meet our clean energy transition.

Minister for Trade and Investment Stephen Patterson said South Australia’s credentials to produce around 60 per cent of the state’s energy capacity from renewable sources, is helping to attract further investment.

“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.

South Australia is one of the most developed regions in the world in terms of battery storage infrastructure. In addition, the State Government is promoting the development of next-generation energy industries, including battery storage, solar, wind and hydrogen.

Allison Hawke, Director of Development at Maoneng Australia said the Gould Creek BESS will provide stability to the South Australian grid by allowing more reliable and steady electricity dispersion throughout peaks and troughs in energy demand and supply.

“The rise in cheap, renewable energy is inevitable and will come sooner than forecast. 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,” Ms Hawke said. “Maoneng is excited to be amongst the early movers in this era of change.

“Throughout the construction phase of the project, around 140 to 160 jobs will be needed. This phase will last for between nine to 12 months. 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.”

The Gould Creek BESS project is expected to be in operation in the second quarter of 2023.