Windlab expects to start construction on the first stage of a 50MW wind-solar-battery storage hybrid project in Queensland, Australia early in 2017.
The Flinders’ Shire Council approved the project, which will be located 20-km south east of Hughenden, just off the Flinders Highway.
The project will feature 30MW of wind, 20MW of solar and 2MW of Li ion battery storage, all co-located with a single connection point.
It will feature 9 to 12 wind turbines which depend on final selection and about 200,000 solar panels. The solar panels will be single axis tracking to maximise potential from the western setting sun.
Windlab developed the scheme in collaboration with Japan’s Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation.
The project has been designed to demonstrate how the quality of wind and solar resources of comparable size can be combined with grid scale storage for providing challenges of intermittency that are otherwise emphasised when there is any particular dominant renewable energy generation source.
Windlab project director Geoff Burns said: “Hughenden is almost unique in that it enjoys one of the best wind resources in Australia, co-located with one of the best solar resources.
“Furthermore, they are highly consistent and complementary; when the sun sets the wind ramps up and continues through to the morning after the sun rises. It is this unique characteristic that will allow Kennedy to provide a near base load generation profile.”
Eurus Energy CEO Hideyuki Inazumi said: “Kennedy is a very unique and an exciting project for Eurus, who has developed and invested in a number of wind and solar projects globally.
“We are proud of being a partner in such exceptional opportunity and are committed to success of the project.”