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Lithgow becoming clean energy hub as coal-fired generator turns to batteries

Today Lithgow takes another leap toward being a clean energy hub with EnergyAustralia announcing a new mega-battery at its coal-fired power station site.

“Clean energy investment in the Central West is really on a roll,” Nature Conservation Council Policy Director Dr Brad Smith.

 

“Six pumped-hydro and battery projects that are in the pipeline will have a combined on-demand capacity of almost double Lithgow’s aging Mt Piper coal-fired power station.

 

“This is huge step towards cleaning up the electricity sector in NSW and helping rein in climate change disasters.”

 

EnergyAustralia’s proposed Mt Piper battery will have a capacity of 500 MW, enough to power more than 200,000 homes for up to four hours during times of high demand. [1]

 

Lithgow Environment Group spokesperson Julie Favell says: “We’ve been calling on Energy Australia to build a battery on their site for months!

 

“Clean energy projects like this mean there’s no reason to keep destroying our spectacular natural areas with future mining,” Julie Favell said.

 

The announcement brings to 2,675 MW the amount of flexible generation capacity in the pipeline for in the Central West, which is more than the 1,400 MW currently provided by Mount Piper coal-fired power station.

 

On-demand clean energy projects in the Central West

Facility

Owner

Location

Capacity

Mt Piper Battery

EnergyAustralia

Mt Piper (Lithgow)

500 MW / 4 hrs

Central West Pumped Hydro

ACTO Energy 

 

 

Yetholme (Bathurst)

325 MW / 8 hrs

Lake Lyell Pumped-Hydro

Energy Australia

Lithgow

350 MW / 8 hrs

Great Western Battery

Neoen

Lithgow (Wallerawang)

500 MW / 2 hrs

Wellington South Battery

AMPYR 

Wellington South

500 MW / 2 hrs

Wallerawang 9 Battery

Greenspot

Lithgow (Wallerawang)

500 MW / 2 hrs

TOTAL

 

 

2675 MW

 

 

 

 

“With Putin’s war sending coal and gas prices to stratospheric levels, the only way to shield Australian homes and businesses from global prices is to get these clean energy projects built quickly,” said Dr Smith.

 

“We’re calling on the NSW government to set a battery storage target for NSW to ensure these projects get built in a timely way.

 

“The six new energy storage projects in the Central West 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.” Dr Smith said.

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