Portland Energy Park
1,000MW / 2,500MWh Battery Energy Storage Park in Victoria
The Portland Energy Park is a significant new grid-scale battery asset to be developed in regional Victoria.
Once operational, the 2.5GWh energy park will deliver a major increase in energy storage capacity. The asset will strengthen energy stability, lowering energy costs and supporting the transition to net-zero while bringing local investment and employment to the region.
About the project
The Portland Energy Park is an infrastructure asset that will connect into the national grid. When the electricity grid is producing an excess of renewable energy, some of that excess will be captured by the battery and stored. Then, at times of increased demand, the battery can discharge that stored energy back into the grid to relieve demand pressure and minimise the occurrence of high price events.
The energy park will be made up of single-story modular units similar in size to a 20 foot shipping container, with facilities for the energy and the associated infrastructure all located on-site. In total the facility will cover approximately 30 hectares of land, zoned for industrial use.
Location
Strategically positioned within the industrial zoned area on Madeira Packet Road, the Portland Energy Park is in close proximity to the Portland Aluminium Smelter and the Portland Water Treatment Plant, enabling the asset to seamlessly co-exist with the existing electrical infrastructure positioned nearby.
The asset location also provides direct access to the State’s principle road network and can integrate directly into the existing transmission infrastructure positioned within the northern extent of the site.
Timeline
The Portland Energy Park is currently going through its regulatory approval process. As part of this process, we are seeking to finalise the concept design, informed by preliminary research and technical studies. Pacific Green has completed a range of assessments and studies to ensure the project minimises any impacts during construction and operation. Our next steps include compiling this into a planning permit application.
For further information on the project and to keep up to date with its progress, please click here to sign up for our community updates.
Technical assessments
Large-scale battery energy storage system projects require a planning permit approval from the Minister for Planning. A planning approval determines the appropriateness of the proposed land use and development to its location, considering its context, physical environment and ability to meet other technical criteria.
To support this process, a large range of technical, environmental, and operational assessments have been undertaken. This will ensure the project minimises and manages any potential impacts and meets or exceeds all statutory requirements.
- Project Approvals
- Cultural Heritage
- Landscape & Visual Impact
- Noise
- Hydrology
- Design & Engineering
- Boidiversity
- Traffic Impact
- Fire & Safety Management
In addition to the assessments above, Pacific Green has a close working relationship with Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (GMTOAC) to ensure successful management of Cultural Heritage elements. Through this relationship we have gathered valuable advice that has shaped the proposal design of the Portland Energy Park. We value this relationship and look forward to our ongoing discussions.
Community and stakeholder consultation and engagement
Pacific Green is dedicated to creating a cleaner environment for our communities. We do this by delivering innovative energy storage solutions that enable Australia’s net-zero transition. Our presence in regions extends beyond the provision of clean energy solutions. We partner with communities where we deliver projects and support initiatives to develop wider social value creation beyond our core business.
Our relationships within communities commence from the early stages of a project through to construction and operations. From the outset we establish open, transparent and collaborative two-way conversations that ensure we are on the ground early to share our project plans, respond to questions and hear ideas the community might have to shape project design. Every community is different, and we value the time people take to engage with us as it helps us shape our projects in a way that suits the differing environments we operate in.
Through our Portland community engagement session in February 2024, we were provided with an opportunity to share our Energy Park proposal with a cross section of the community. At this session we learned about what mattered to people and answered many questions as we gathered thoughts and feedback. We look forward to hosting more sessions in the future to continue these important conversations.
In the meantime, should you want to discuss the project further, we would love to hear from you. Please send us an enquiry here and our project team will be in touch.
Pacific Green’s Community Benefit Fund
Pacific Green takes pride in becoming part of communities in which we operate. As we expand our business across Australia, we will be searching for investment and partnership opportunities with value aligned community groups and organisations. Our aim is to create social value and build stronger communities, right across Australia.
Through our Community Benefit Fund, we aim to enrich the quality of life for Australians both locally and internationally, across key focus areas.
Pacific Green work closely with each community through our comprehensive community and stakeholder engagement programs. This ensures that we develop two-way, long-lasting relationships that foster a tailored approach to each region’s Community Benefit Fund. This in turn plays a vital role in supporting the development and success of the communities in which we operate, helping to create more meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable outcomes.
Local Employment Benefits
Pacific Green is committed to sustainably contributing to local employment and training while ensuring high labour standards. During construction of our projects, employment opportunities naturally peak and at these times our approach is to maximise local direct employment and training opportunities.
We prioritise hiring from within the local community to support regional economic development and growth. Our future initiatives will look to supporting local apprenticeships and education initiatives to support career progression in the renewable energy sector.
Safety and Sustainability
The safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate takes precedence in all we do.
In addition to first-class technical engineering that’s designed to meet International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian standards, all Pacific Green energy storage projects undergo rigorous safety and security testing to minimise safety risks.
The Portland Energy Park will come equipped with the latest lithium-ion battery technology incorporating several integrated fire safety measures. This will include both external monitoring and heat sensors as well as individual units within each battery container that are sealed and monitored with their own fire suppression systems. This means that if a single cell fails, this section of the battery is isolated and contained, thus protecting the rest of the container unit.
A Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) has been specifically designed to over-see the Portland Energy Park operations. The facility will also have a Risk Management Plan, Fire Management Plan and Emergency Management Plan with details on potential risk areas and mitigation measures in place.
The battery has an initial lifespan of 20 years but new generation cell technology will provide longer lifespan, so that the site can be renewed and enhanced continually, making the project sustainable into the future.