Blackstone BESS
Blackstone Battery Energy Storage
Firm Power is proposing to develop a 500MW/1000MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) adjacent to the existing 275kV Blackstone Substation along Swanbank Coal Road in Swanbank, Queensland. The location is approximately 10 kilometres south-east of Ipswich and 45 kilometres south-west of Brisbane.
When operational, the Blackstone BESS will help meet the current and future energy demand needs of Queensland whilst supporting the national energy market transition by:
– Enabling greater amounts of renewable energy to be conveyed to Queensland’s homes and businesses,
– Managing energy peak demand periods without requiring fossil fuel based generation, and
– Offering local electricity grid resilience through stabilisation services such as frequency and voltage control.
The project will generate a range of jobs throughout its construction, procurement, operations and maintenance phases, with indirect impacts extending to local supply chains including accommodation, vehicle servicing, catering and cleaning, tradespersons, tool and equipment suppliers, and many other businesses.
DEVELOPMENT STATUS
The development of the Blackstone BESS is well underway; land is secured, the development application is in an advanced stage of assessment and grid connection studies have commenced. The development phase of the project is expected to be complete in mid-2025.
SITE
The project site is predominantly open, developed land within an industrial precinct and serviced by established roadways facilitating easy accessp
KEY INFRASTRUCTURE
The project will involve the installation of the following equipment:
- Batteries in which to store the energy; these look like modular shipping containers.
- Inverters and transformers, that convert the electricity in the batteries into the type of electricity used by our national energy market.
- Electrical switchgear and metering, to ensure the safe operation of the batteries & inverters and ongoing connection of the project to the energy market operator.
- Site administration buildings to ensure amenities for technicians managing the long term operations and maintenance of the project.
TIMELINE
The Blackstone project is in the advanced stages of assessment with Ipswich City Council. As part of its engagement strategy, Firm Power continues to consult with key stakeholders throughout the development stage.
Construction & Operations
Once all necessary approvals, agreements and authorisations have been obtained, construction activities for the Blackstone BESS project can commence. Construction is expected to take up to 18 months and involves site preparation, delivery and installation, and testing and commissioning stages.
Preparation of the site includes civil works to make it suitable for the BESS equipment, such as earthworks, drainage and foundations. Following this, electrical equipment such as battery module enclosures, inverters, transformers, switchgear and ancillary systems are delivered to site, installed and connected. The last step in construction is the testing and commissioning process where the BESS’s installation is validated and made ready for operation.
The BESS is expected to operate for approximately 20 years. During this period operational work will generally involve monitoring, testing and maintenance of equipment as well as deliveries, waste removal and other general site maintenance (such as care of groundcover). During this period the site will be monitored and controlled remotely with staff and contractors coming to site periodically for the other activities.
At the BESS end of life, the site will either be reconditioned or remediated. This involves the removal of all above-ground infrastructure and any works needed to return the land to a safe, clean and stable state.
Community
The Blackstone BESS will continue to reform the Swanbank Industrial precinct providing new sustainable technology and create construction jobs, opportunities for local suppliers and ongoing project roles. Firm Power is interested in talking to members of the community who have an interest in energy storage or who would like to discuss education, provision of services or employment opportunities that may exist in the future.
If you have any questions or concerns about the project, or would just like to discuss the project, you can contact our team directly by filling out the following form or calling 1300 521 328.