Queensland’s original big battery turns 40!
Published: June 25, 2024
Wivenhoe Power Station has the capacity to power the equivalent of 125,000 Queensland homes every year.
As the station brings in its fourth decade, it remains a key player in the Queensland renewable energy landscape, with the capacity to produce a whopping 570MW.
Owned and operated by publicly owned CleanCo, the Wivenhoe Power Station plays a critical role in supporting the renewable energy transformation, using excess solar and renewable energy produced during the day to pump water up to Splityard Creek, ready for generation in the evening peak when the sun isn’t shining or when the wind isn’t blowing.
At the time of commissioning the power station, Queensland was positioned as a world leader in the use of technology to remotely control a pumped hydro station, with a start-up time of just 20 seconds.
Forty years later, its legacy and reliability remain unchanged thanks to the skilled energy workers who have safely maintained and operated the asset, so generations of Queenslanders can continue to reap the clean energy benefits.
Located in the Somerset region of south-east Queensland, the power station has played an important role in the community, providing local jobs and supporting a range of community groups and initiatives.
CleanCo CEO Tom Metcalfe said CleanCo is honoured to be the custodian of Wivenhoe Power Station.
“We are proud of the role Wivenhoe Power Station plays in Queensland’s energy transformation.
“With Queensland’s largest rechargeable battery in our portfolio, CleanCo is uniquely positioned to provide clean, reliable energy 24/7 – this is good for our customers, and for Queensland’s energy network.
“Our team at Wivenhoe works incredibly hard to keep the power station operating safely and efficiently – I’d like to thank each and every team member, past and present, for their valuable contributions.”
Wivenhoe Power Station Site Manager Herman Porter said the Wivenhoe team is proud to operate this unique asset in support of Queensland.
“Over 40 years, the power station has become part of the fabric of the Somerset region. It’s not only a place of employment – it’s also a place where technical capability is developed, and lifelong friendships are forged.
“Our employees are dedicated to ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the power station. Their incredible depth of knowledge and technical skill keeps Wivenhoe running smoothly.”
Former Wivenhoe Power Station Technical Officer Trevor Lush spoke of the early days at Wivenhoe.
“As Wivenhoe was the first pumped storage hydro power station in Queensland and one of only a few in Australia, we were all learning as we went – there were not too many people we could turn to for technical support, especially during the midnight hours.
“Wivenhoe was originally staffed by 5 people during daylight hours. The team gradually increased over the years to reach a level where staffing was more realistic and our capabilities increased.
“I absolutely loved working at Wivenhoe Power Station. There was a real sense of camaraderie where everyone was always willing to assist each other.”
Australia’s largest solar farm powers up Coles this Christmas
Published: 6 December, 2023
Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement
The Honourable Mick de Brenni
- Publicly-owned CleanCo is providing Coles with 95 per cent of its electricity needs in Queensland
- Renewable energy from Australia’s largest solar farm is now supporting a clean energy future at Coles
- Unique partnership represents the future of public and private cooperation for more sustainable future
As millions of Queenslanders prepare for their Christmas celebrations, the Palaszczuk Government is supporting Coles’ transition to a clean energy future.
Publicly owned energy company CleanCo is partnering with Australian retailer Coles to provide 95 per cent of its electricity needs in Queensland.
Under the partnership, renewable energy from Neoen’s recently completed 400MW Western Downs Green Power Hub solar farm – the largest in Australia – is helping bring Coles one step closer to their sustainability goals of 100 per cent renewable electricity by June 2025.
From buying their beloved Christmas Day prawns, to their usual grocery shop, Queenslanders can be confident that when they shop at Coles, their visit is being powered in part by renewables thanks to public investment in Queensland energy assets.
Coles joins a chorus of large commercial energy users choosing to take up cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy, produced in Queensland.
CleanCo’s investment in the Western Downs Green Power Hub, as well as Neoen’s 157MW Kaban Green Power Hub wind farm in Far North Queensland, and the recently opened 180MW Dulacca Wind Farm, means a total of 737MW of renewable energy is now contributing to Queensland’s clean energy future.
Through construction, the Western Down Solar Farm and Kaban Wind Farm projects supported more than 750 jobs for Queenslanders, and the Dulacca Wind Farm supported a further 150 construction jobs. In operation these projects will continue to provide local jobs and make significant contributions to the regional Queensland economy.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, The Honourable Mick de Brenni MP:
“Everyone stepping into a Coles this holiday season will be seeing firsthand the steps the Palaszczuk Government is taking to deliver a clean energy future for Queensland.
“It’s through large companies partnering with Queensland’s publicly owned energy producers that will ensure we reach our target of 70% renewable energy by 2032.
“This arrangement is further proof of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to work with innovative, forward thinking corporations who share our vision to transition to a clean energy future.
“This is a fantastic achievement for Coles, the Palaszczuk Government and CleanCo as we make further progress in Queensland’s renewable energy transformation.”
Quotes attributable to CleanCo Customer, Coles Queensland State Manager, Jo Brown:
“Thanks to the completion of the country’s largest solar farm and this landmark partnership, more than 95 per cent of our electricity needs in Queensland are supplied by CleanCo.
“This exciting development builds on the changes we’ve made across the business to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and achieve our 100 per cent renewable electricity goals by June 2025.”
Quotes attributable to CleanCo CEO, Tom Metcalfe:
“CleanCo’s wind and solar assets, backed by our unique portfolio of reliable hydro and gas generators, means we can provide the tailored, clean energy solutions our customers need to decarbonise in an affordable and sustainable way.
“Coles is such an iconic brand – one that all Queenslanders recognise and rely on.
“At CleanCo, it is our role to develop clean energy solutions that meet the unique needs of companies just like Coles, so that they can thrive in a net-zero future.”
“CleanCo is proud to partner with an organisation with such a strong commitment to sustainability.”
Quotes attributable to Neoen CEO, Louis de Sambucy:
“We are delighted that Kaban and Western Downs, our two newest assets in operation and our first in Queensland, are providing such significant volumes of locally produced clean energy to our valued customer and partner CleanCo.
“Through this partnership we are proud to be powering so many Queensland businesses with solar and wind energy.”
Swanbank Clean Energy Hub opens opportunities for net zero energy technologies
Published: 21 September, 2023
CleanCo Queensland is offering an exciting opportunity for the future of clean energy at our Swanbank site. Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now open for net-zero energy generation and storage technologies, marking a significant milestone in the site’s transformation into a clean energy hub.
Swanbank’s Clean Energy Future
CleanCo is on the lookout for innovative, technically and commercially ready clean energy generation and storage technologies with a capacity of up to 400 megawatts (MW), which can include hydrogen use and production opportunities. Additionally, EOIs are sought for technologies that can support the decarbonisation of the Swanbank E combined-cycle gas-fired power station.
These new energy options will complement CleanCo’s proposed plan to install a 250 MW/500 MWh battery at the Swanbank site. Thanks to a $330 million funding allocation under the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund, this battery, with its two-hour storage capacity, is poised to become one of Queensland’s largest when commissioned.
Final Investment Decision on the battery is expected in late 2023. Site works for the battery are anticipated to commence in the first half of 2024 with the battery expected to be operational by mid-2025.
Building a Sustainable Future Together
CleanCo is developing a masterplan to identify opportunities to redevelop the Swanbank site into a clean energy hub. This EOI process will help CleanCo understand the suitability and commercial readiness of various energy technology options available. Other energy and non-energy uses are also being investigated, including research and development facilities and enhanced community infrastructure. These ideas are being cultivated through a community co-design process. The draft masterplan is currently available for comment.
Get Involved
Together, we can progress Queensland’s energy transformation, supporting local jobs and ensuring Queensland’s industries remain competitive as the world decarbonises.
Tom Metcalfe, CEO of CleanCo, stated, “At CleanCo, we are building the energy portfolio of the future. We are eager to engage with the market on pilot projects of technologies that will be suitable for future grid-scale applications. With new technologies comes more opportunity. It is our vision that the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub will generate economic and social prosperity for the Ipswich region for generations to come.”
Further Information
- Swanbank Power Station, located next to Queensland’s largest energy demand center, Brisbane, boasts a grid connection capacity of up to 1.2 GW.
- The Swanbank site, which was once home to two coal-fired power stations and is still home to the highly efficient Swanbank E power station, has been a stalwart in energy generation for over 50 years.
- CleanCo is transforming the site into the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub.
- To learn more about the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub, visit here.
Swanbank celebrates 50 years of power generation and charges towards a clean energy future
Published: 26 July, 2023
This month the Swanbank energy precinct celebrates 50 years since the completion of the original coal-fired power stations –Swanbank A and Swanbank B– which delivered reliable power and economic opportunity to south east Queensland over five decades. Now, Queensland powers towards a net zero future, the site is being transformed into a clean energy hub.
The Swanbank Clean Energy Hub will feature clean energy technologies, including the highly efficient Swanbank E gas-fired power station, enabling CleanCo to support large commercial and industrial businesses on their decarbonisation pathways.
It will also include a 250MW battery with two-hour storage capacity to be built on the site of the old Swanbank B power station. CleanCo has secured $330 million from the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund to progress the development of the battery which will be one of the largest in Queensland.
The Swanbank Clean Energy Hub draft masterplan is being developed with the input from the local community, with 30 people from across Ipswich participating in an innovative co-design process. The draft masterplan will be made available for public comment before it is finalised.
At the celebrations on Tuesday, CleanCo CEO Tom Metcalfe said, “CleanCo is incredibly proud to be celebrating the Swanbank site’s 50th anniversary. We acknowledge the critical role it has played, and will continue to play, in Queensland’s energy supply chain.
“For more than five decades the Swanbank site has not only delivered reliable electricity for Queensland, it has been part of the social fabric of Ipswich, employing generations of families and playing a significant economic role in the region,” he said.
Mr Metcalfe highlighted CleanCo’s work to shape plans for Swanbank to deliver clean energy and strong social and economic opportunities into the future. He said, “By involving the community through co-design, we can be confident we will develop a masterplan that truly reflects local needs and values, and will guide CleanCo to create a precinct that will benefit the region for generations to come.”
Also on site to celebrate with CleanCo, the Assistant Minister for Energy and Member for Bundamba, Lance McCallum said, “Our proudly publicly owned Swanbank Power Station has played a vital role in the energy network in Queensland for 50 years, and is set to deliver reliable, low cost, low emission power for the next 50 years.
“The future for this iconic site is bright, with plans for community infrastructure and clean energy options going forward, including funding for a 250MW battery. These developments will help make Queensland a world-leading clean energy superpower,” he said.
The Assistant Minister thanked everyone in the local community who has participated in the community co-design process, and noted it is important that publicly owned sites like Swanbank continue to support good social and economic outcomes for the community.
Demonstrating the significance of the Swanbank site for the local community, the team was joined by Mr John Scott, a local resident and former Swanbank employee.
Mr Scott’s family has been associated with the Swanbank area since the late 1800s and he worked at the power station from 1969 to 2003.
Mr Scott has also been an active participant in the community co-design panel which has been charged with helping to shape the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub draft masterplan.
“As a member of the Community Co-design Panel, I was able to share my local knowledge and play a part in shaping the draft masterplan. I’m excited to see what the next 50 years brings for the Swanbank site,” he said.
Over one million solar panels powering Australia’s largest solar farm
Published: 6 April, 2023
Totalling over 1 million solar panels, the 400MW Western Downs Green Power Hub has the capacity to power the equivalent of 235,000 Queensland homes and is connected to the Queensland SuperGrid by a new 275kV line built by Powerlink.
Located near Chinchilla, CleanCo Queensland has signed a power purchase agreement with owners Neoen for 80% of the power generated at the site.
The completion of panel installation will allow the final testing and commissioning phase of the project to begin to get it to full capacity.
250MW Swanbank Battery as SEQ joins Clean Energy Hub revolution
Published: 9 March, 2023
CleanCo Queensland has announced plans for a Clean Energy Hub future at its Ipswich-based energy precinct, including a 250MW battery and community co-design elements of the site.
CleanCo is launching an EOI process and seeking community input to progress a future Clean Energy Hub at Swanbank that includes solar power, battery storage, and green hydrogen, enabled by the Palaszczuk Government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.
Ipswich community input is vital as CleanCo looks to a clean energy future alongside site restoration, including an ecological corridor and recreational spaces.
This signals the start of the transformation of Swanbank to become a future Clean Energy Hub that supports more highly skilled, local jobs through clean energy that is complemented by state-of-the-art community amenities.
Australia’s largest solar farm scores its first century
Published: 18 August, 2022
A major milestone has been reached on Australia’s largest solar farm under construction with the project now able to export more than 100MW of clean energy into the nation’s electricity grid.
When complete, the Western Downs Green Power Hub (WDGPH) will add 400MW of renewable energy into the grid with Queensland Government owned energy generator and retailer CleanCo signed up to take 320MW.
Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said that the State’s energy transformation is the greatest jobs opportunity in a generation.