Approval granted for 1.2 GW/2.4 GWh battery system project in Australia

Australia’s federal government has granted approval for a 1.2 GW/2.4 GWh battery system at a site northwest of Melbourne.

The Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (MREH) project is owned by Equis Development, with support from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board. The project is located on a 90-ha site in Plumpton, 25 km northwest of Melbourne. The MREH is expected to generate enough electricity to power 1 million households. It will also include a small solar component and could potentially expand to include hydrogen and battery recycling facilities.

Equis acquired full ownership of the project in 2022 and committed AUD 1.9 billion (US$1.22 billion) to its development. The MREH is expected to be operational by 2024.