The Allan Labor Government has approved Victoria's largest-ever battery storage project - a one-gigawatt facility that will deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable renewable energy for hundreds of thousands of homes.
Pacific Green's $1.3 billion Portland Energy Park has been fast-tracked through the Labor Government's Development Facilitation Program.
The project will include four 250-megawatt battery 'parks' - enough to power 345,000 homes during peak demand - making it the state's biggest battery and one of the world's biggest renewable energy storage batteries. An on-site terminal station will also connect the facility to the grid via existing transmission lines.
The battery will soak up and store cheap renewable energy during the day that can be pumped back into the electricity grid at times of peak demand, helping to deliver cheaper energy bills and reliable electricity to Victorian homes and businesses.
Three hundred jobs will be created during the construction phase, and there will be 60 ongoing jobs once the energy park becomes operational.
The proponent was required to show the development will be compliant with conditions regarding biodiversity impacts, bushfire safety, and noise, while also including upgrades to nearby roads in the scope of works.
The Labor Government opened up the Development Facilitation Program to include renewable energy projects last year - to get more cleaner and cheaper energy projects off the ground faster.
Since then, the Government has fast-tracked more than $6 billion worth of renewable energy projects. These 20 projects have the potential to power around 574,000 households annually, and battery storage capable of meeting evening peak demand for more than 1.6 million households.
Prior to this fast-tracked pathway, more than one in five renewable energy project applications ended up stuck in VCAT despite the overwhelming majority of projects being approved eventually - often delaying them by two years.
The Labor Government's record investments in renewable energy means Victoria has the lowest wholesale power prices in the country - bringing online even more renewable energy will ensure prices stay low into the future.
As stated by Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny
"Our fast-tracked pathway has unlocked more than $6 billion worth of investment into renewable energy projects - helping provide cheaper and cleaner energy to hundreds of thousands of Victorian households."
As stated by Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D'Ambrosio
"This $1.3 billion battery will soak up cheap renewable power during the day and deliver it when demand peaks - powering 345,000 homes and slashing energy bills across the state."
