NeoEn submits $675m Collie proposal

France-based power producer Neoen has lodged an application to build a 1,000-megawatt battery energy storage system, at an estimated cost of $675 million.

The utility-scale development would cover about 31.4 hectares of land on Myaree Farm along Collie-Williams Road in Palmer, about 12 km northeast of Collie.

Also known as The Collie Battery, the project would be constructed over five 200-megawatt stages or as required to meet the evolving needs of the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).

Construction of the Collie Battery is expected to take 12 to 18 months.

The battery development is part of a bigger plan dubbed “Collie’s Just Transition”, a state government project to transition the Collie economy from depending on coal by investing in major projects and bring emerging industries.

Neoen submitted its application, with a $675 million price tag, to the Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel last week.

According to the development application, up to 150 people would be employed for the project.

“The battery energy storage system will operate around the clock – typically charging during the day while there is excess renewable generation and discharging during peak periods,” it said.

“The current location of the project has been selected to provide proximity to the existing Western Power Shotts Terminal, to connect the Project to the SWIS.”

The subject site was previously used for sheep grazing and is currently cleared land.

Neoen aims to start construction by mid to late 2023 and to be operational within two years.

Myaree Farm is owned and operated by Semlot Nominees, trading as Murray River Trust.

Semlot Nominees director Florian Popp endorsed the battery energy storage project in a letter dated August 4.

“The Energy project provides an additional revenue stream for our farming operations, which allows us to reduce stock and crop levels, placing less pressure on pasture and cropping land,” Mr Popp said.

The Shire of Collie is advertising the plan for community consultation before council weighs in on the proposal.

The public comment period for the Collie Battery proposal closes on October 5.

Neoen operates the Victorian Big Battery in Geelong and trialling a renewable energy service at its Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia.

The state government’s transition plan for Collie has proposed the development of about 1100MW of energy storage with most of it, about 800MW, to be pumped hydro schemes.

The pumped hydro schemes operate similarly to a manufactured battery with the surplus energy stored during the day and released during a peak in demand in the evening.

Perth’s first grid-scale battery, with a capacity of 100MW, is under construction at Kwinana.