The battery will charge during the day when there is often an excess of solar and/or wind energy, and then release it during the evening peak when the sun is not shining and demand increases. 

Batteries are fast and flexible – able to turn on and off in a fraction of a second. This means they are able to rapidly respond when there is a sudden gap in electricity supply, helping to stabilise the grid and support system security and reliability. 

The Greenbank Battery will have a discharge capacity of 200 megawatts and store 400 megawatt hours of energy (200MW/400MWh), meaning it can power 66,000 homes for two hours before needing to recharge.

Batteries will play a critical role in the energy transformation and are an ideal partner for renewables because they can store excess energy produced during sunny or windy periods so it can be used later when it is needed the most.

The Greenbank Battery will also provide a range of system support services to Powerlink’s electricity transmission network. Because the battery will be able to ramp up and down quickly, it will be able to rapidly respond when there is a sudden gap in electricity supply in the grid, supporting system security and reliability.

The Greenbank Substation site was chosen for its strategic location on Powerlink’s transmission network. A battery at this location will allow Powerlink to increase the network capability by ensuring a reliable supply of high voltage electricity is maintained to South East Queensland, in particular the Gold Coast, Logan and south Brisbane areas. 

Traffic safety controls will be in place when required, for example during the mobilisation of major earthmoving equipment. The movement of over-sized vehicles will be scheduled to avoid peak traffic periods. The number of vehicles predicted during construction are not expected to worsen the performance of the local intersections. No additional traffic is expected during the operation of the battery. 

Construction activities are expected to be undertaken from September 2023 to July 2024, during the hours of 6:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Saturday. The first Megapack systems are expected to start arriving on site in late 2024 and the battery will become operational in the middle of 2025. 

Safety is the top priority for CS Energy. 

We have partnered with Tesla for this project because they set the industry benchmark for energy storage product design and safety. Megapack is one of the safest battery storage products of its kind. The batteries undergo extensive fire testing and include integrated safety systems, specialised monitoring software and 24/7 support.

All large-scale batteries, regardless of the manufacturer, must comply with a range of Australian and international standards and codes. These regulations are in place to ensure the safe operation of the batteries, and are continually being updated to reflect the latest technology and safety standards. 

Through a Greenbank Battery community benefit fund, CS Energy will invest $20,000 annually in local community organisations and initiatives from 2024 to 2026.

Vegetation between the battery and Pub Lane will provide screening from the road.

Cooling fans form part of each battery unit’s cooling system, which operate when charging and discharging. The fans emit a continuous noise when operating – the higher the fans run for cooling, the more noise emitted.
 
Noise modelling studies undertaken by specialist advisors indicated that noise emissions could be controlled by acoustic barriers. As a result, noise walls have been included in the project design to mitigate potential noise impacts to acceptable levels in accordance with relevant criteria.

More details will be made available on the CS Energy website and via the Greenbank Battery e-news - sign up for regular updates.

If you would like to ask a question about the Project or provide feedback, please use the Contact us form on our website.