Insider Brief
- Hydrostor has received approval from the New South Wales Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for its Silver City Energy Storage Centre (SCESC), a 200 MW, 1,600 MWh long-duration storage project in Broken Hill.
- SCESC will replace aging diesel generators, provide grid stability, and form an independent mini-grid, capable of powering over 80,000 homes for a day.
- The project will create more than 700 jobs during construction and 35 jobs during operation.
PRESS RELEASE – Global long duration energy storage developer, Hydrostor, has announced the Development Application for its Silver City Energy Storage Centre (SCESC) has been approved by the New South Wales Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI). The approval is a critical step in the development of the Broken Hill-based long-duration storage project, which is set to begin construction later this year.
The project will provide crucial long duration energy storage capacity and stability to the Broken Hill region and the wider network, with a total capacity of 200 MW and 1,600 MWh (8 hours of storage duration at full output). Once completed, the new energy storage facility will replace ageing diesel generators, nearing their end-of-life.
Crucially for the region, SCESC will support the community’s energy needs and protect against future blackouts by forming the backbone of a mini-grid, which when fully operative will be able to supply Broken Hill with power for days, if not weeks.
SCESC will draw from existing renewable energy infrastructure in the region (which currently sits idle during an outage) to form an independent energy solution capable of supplying the entire town without needing connection to the NEM.
Based on the average power requirements for a household, the project is capable of supplying more than 80,000 homes for a day when it is fully charged. In addition, SCESC will provide more than 700 jobs in the region during construction and into the operation phase, and up to 35 jobs during operation.
Martin Becker, Hydrostor’s SVP of Origination and Development, said:
“We are very pleased to be able to bring this project to the DA stage, and we want to thank the Department for their work in helping us through this rigorous process. The approval marks a significant step along both Hydrostor’s journey in Australia and the adoption of long duration technology nationally.
“Most crucially, we also want to sincerely thank the community of Broken Hill for sharing their thoughts, their questions and their town with us, helping us to bring this positive project to this stage.”
Commenting in the NSW Government’s media release, ministers made the following statements:
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said:
“Hydrostor’s Silver City Energy Storage Centre boosts the reliability of the NSW electricity grid and provides back-up for homes and businesses in the state’s far west in times of planned and unplanned outages.
“Energy storage solutions like this will go a long way to preventing blackouts like the ones the Far West experienced last year.
“The project will provide construction and ongoing jobs, and will put Broken Hill on the map as a nation leader in renewable energy.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
“The city needs a reliable supply of power and this project will provide certainty and reliability for local residents and businesses.
“The Minns Government is working with proponents to see industrial sites rehabilitated and renewed for future use.
“This technology not only supports our transition to cleaner energy sources but also promotes economic growth through job creation in the energy sector.”
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:
“It’s fantastic to see planning approval confirmed for the Hydrostor project which will be further supported by a 65-year government lease on a Crown land site near Broken Hill.
“The Silver City Energy Storage Facility will be the first of its kind for Australia, generating both vital backup energy for Broken Hill and significant ongoing jobs and investment spending for the Far West economy.”
