Hydro Australia launches 2 GW pumped storage project
Queensland Hydro (QH) says it has commenced on-site geotechnical exploration drilling for the Borumba Dam pumped storage project, which will provide useful information for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. The A$14.2 billion (US$8.96 billion) project is expected to provide 2 GW of dispatchable generation and around 48,000 MWh of large-scale storage capacity to Australia's national electricity market.
According to Australia's state-owned Queensland Hydro, Queensland's general coordinator announced that the state is developing the project at the 46,000 MWh Borumba Dam near Gympie. It is a coordinated project, with social, economic and environmental impact assessments to be carried out in parallel.
The project includes a new dam wall in Lake Borumba, increasing the dam's storage capacity to 224,000 megaliters. A new dam will also be built higher up. The two reservoirs are connected by an underground power station. During periods of excess renewable energy and low power demand, water will be pumped to the upper dam for storage; during periods of high power demand, water will be released to generate electricity.
The project is in the planning and environmental approvals stage and is expected to generate first power in 2030.
Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the project was the first of two large-scale, long-duration energy storage projects planned by the Queensland government and would play a key role in the state's renewable energy transition.
Pumped storage technology is mature and ready for immediate deployment," he said. Through the Borumba project, we will be able to use Queensland's solar, wind and hydro energy to replace expensive fossil fuels, making Queensland, known as the Sunshine State, a global center for renewable energy."
The Queensland Government aims to increase the share of renewable energy generation to 70 percent by 2032 and 80 percent by 2035, compared to the current share of around 25 percent of total generation.
De Brenni said the Borumba project would be subject to Queensland's procurement policy and the state government was looking for companies and tradespeople in the Sunshine Coast region to participate in construction. At the peak of construction, the project is expected to provide 2,300 jobs.
By DAVID CARROLL