Spain-based renewable energy firm X-Elio plans to add a 148 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) to its 200 MW Blue Grass solar farm in Queensland, marking the company’s first hybrid solar and storage project in Australia.
X-Elio Expands Blue Grass Solar Farm with Battery Storage
X-Elio will enhance its operational Blue Grass solar farm with battery storage in two phases. The first phase involves installing a 60 MW battery energy storage system (BESS), slated for mechanical completion by late 2025. A second phase, expected to be finished in 2026, will add another 88 MW of storage to the project in Queensland’s Western Downs region.
“Following our 60 MW BESS project in the US and our entry into the German battery company ECO STOR, we are now continuing to implement our storage strategy in Australia. This [Blue Grass] project will support grid resiliency in Queensland and enhance our solar farm’s resilience to price volatility.”
“We are excited about the prospects of BESS in Australia and believe its deployment greatly supports grids with high renewables penetration,” said Mirko Molinari, X-Elio’s Chief Commercial Officer.
While the specific battery technology and duration have not yet been detailed, the system is expected to use lithium-based technologies.
Blue Grass PV Park Delivers 420 GWh Annually
Commissioned in November 2022, the Blue Grass solar farm in Queensland’s Western Downs region features 375,000 bifacial modules . The facility generates approximately 420 GWh annually, with its output sold through off-take agreements to Salesforce.com Inc., the Queensland government-owned generator Stanwell Corp, and power retailer Zen Energy.
Integrating the BESS will allow the solar farm to store excess energy generated during peak solar hours and release it during periods of high demand or low generation. This capability enables the project to participate in grid services, enhancing energy reliability and stability by delivering stored power when it is needed most.
Technology Partners and Next Steps
The Blue Grass expansion will incorporate BESS technology and grid-forming battery inverters, transforming the plant into a hybrid power source capable of delivering essential grid services. X-Elio has partnered with technology providers Ingeteam and Narada to enhance the existing infrastructure and improve grid support.
The Sixteen Mile solar farm, another of the company’s hybrid ventures in the Western Downs, is set to follow. This upcoming facility will combine 350 MW of solar power with a 120 MW/240 MWh battery system.
