There's now more than enough dispatchable clean-energy projects in the Central West to replace the aging Mount Piper coal-fired power station at Lithgow.
“Clean energy investment in the Central West is really on a roll,” Nature Conservation Council Campaigns Director Dr Brad Smith.
“Four pumped hydro and battery projects that are in the pipeline will have a combined capacity greater than Lithgow’s Mt Piper coal-fired power station.
“This is huge step towards cleaning up the electricity sector in NSW and helping the state play its part in limiting climate change to safe levels.”
Canadian energy giant ACTO Energy [1] announced last week it was applying for funding under the NSW Government’s pumped hydro grant program to build a facility at Yetholme, between Bathurst and Lithgow. [2]
ACTO’s proposed Central West Pumped Hydro facility will have a capacity of 325MW, and eight hours storage, or a total of 2,600MWh.
The announcement brings to 1,675MW the amount of flexible generation capacity in the pipeline for in the Central West, which is more than currently provided by Mount Piper coal-fired power station.
Pumped hydro project projects in the pipeline
|
Facility |
Owner |
Location |
Capacity |
|
Central West Pumped Hydro |
ACTO Energy |
Yetholme (Bathurst) |
325 MW |
|
Lake Lyell |
Energy Australia |
Lithgow |
350 MW |
|
Great Western Battery |
Neoen |
Lithgow (Wallerawang) |
500 MW |
|
Wellington South battery |
AMPYR |
Wellington South |
500 MW |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
1,675 MW |
“The Mount Piper power station can produce up to 1,400 MW, although on heatwave days the maximum output of coal power stations tends to be lower,” Dr Smith said.
“The four new energy storage projects have the advantage of being able to store energy as well as generate electricity, meaning they can help the grid by soaking up cheap solar power on sunny days and storing it for later use. Coal power stations don't help in that situation.”
References
[1] https://www.atco.com/en-ca.html
[2] Canadian energy giant advances 2,600MWh pumped hydro project near Bathurst, Renew Economy, 14-10-21