By KATRINA BRANDON
UNDER the dome we go.
Last Friday (July 10), the SEC and the Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, announced plans to establish SEC Energy Works, an energy innovation precinct in Hazelwood North.
On a 143-hectare block of land, a closed-loop, compressed CO2 long-duration energy storage solution will be installed in partnership with global clean technology company, Energy Dome.
Once built, the 20-megawatt facility will be capable of continuously supplying electricity for 10 to 12 hours. The project will be Victoria’s first long-duration energy storage facility and Australia’s first commercial use of closed-loop, compressed CO2 energy storage.
“I’m very pleased and proud that we are here at the site of land that has now been purchased by the SEC for the development of a very important energy precinct,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.
“This is a very important next step in the build-out of the technologies that the SEC is renowned for, and will deliver on behalf of the Victorian people, especially here in the Gippsland region near Morwell.”
Placed between Morwell and Hazelwood North, one question comes to mind. Why this spot?
Minister D’Ambrosio said it was because it was the “best spot” and close to the Hazelwood Terminal Station, meaning they can connect to the high-voltage network and help with grid stability and energy supply.
When asked if soil tests had been undertaken to ensure they weren’t using what could be prime agricultural land, Minister D’Ambrosio said that “(soil tests) are part of the development phase to assess the suitability of the site, but all the indications and due diligence we’ve done to date suggest this is an excellent location”.
This site is one of many long-duration storage projects across the state in the pipeline, and the first in Australia yet to be constructed, to support grid reliability as the state moves away from coal-fired power.
According to Ms D’Ambrosio, during construction, the project will create up to 60 jobs and support a number ongoing.
“What is really critical about this technology is that it is a technology that is already proven in others, in other parts of the world,” she said.
“It is technology that is ready to go. The SEC will work diligently with its project partner to go through a variety of planning stages, including planning approval, community engagement, community consultation and engagement with the Latrobe City Council.
“How fitting it is that at the heart of the energy system for Victoria and most of the eastern seaboard of Australia, we’re going to have the first long-duration storage project built here in Victoria, utilising the skills that we know here right in the Latrobe Valley. “Those skills are about the mechanical operations of power generation.”
Accompanying the Minister to the site was SEC Executive General Manager Assets Lane Crockett, Vice President Business Development Energy Dome Daniel O’Doherty, Member for Eastern Victoria Region Tom McIntosh and Latrobe City Mayor Sharon Gibson.
Mr Crockett explained that the compressed carbon dioxide battery takes carbon at very low pressure, compresses it into a liquid, and converts it into energy, which is stored in a liquid state and can be expanded when energy is needed.
“The beauty of carbon dioxide as a gas is it’s non-flammable, it’s non-toxic, and it’s a gas that you can store without having to make it colder to make it into a liquid,” he said.
“It’s perfectly suited for this type of application, and it can provide 10 to 12 hours of storage after each charge. Because it’s a closed-loop system, it only has to be filled once for 30 years, and the most logical place to purchase it from is the Longford Gas Plant, which provides food-quality carbon dioxide, so that’ll be a one-off purchase to mobilise the battery.”
In a statement, SEC Chief Executive Chris Miller said projects developed at SEC Energy Works will add to the SEC’s growing portfolio of assets, with 1024 megawatts of committed projects to date. This includes the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, the SEC Renewable Energy Park, a solar-BESS hybrid near Horsham, and the SEC Delburn Wind Farm.
“SEC is excited to support future energy innovation at the precinct, providing early investment and allowing industry to build confidence to take new energy technologies to the next stage of commercialisation, while supporting more renewable projects to connect to the grid,” Mr Miller said.
“SEC can play an important enabling role by supporting these newer, proven technologies to work on a commercial scale in the National Electricity Market (NEM), creating clearer market signals for private investors.”
Speaking to the media, Minister D’Ambrosio said that those involved in the project are still undertaking the project’s financials and going through consultation and planning before starting the project, which could take a “couple of years”.
The project is part of the Victorian Energy Jobs Plan, which aims to create more than 68,000 jobs across the state by 2040 as part of the “clean” energy future, with many occurring in regional Victoria.
Alongside that aim, Minister D’Ambrosio mentioned that an SEC Apprenticeship Academy is being established to train workers with the skills and qualifications needed for the jobs created by the Victorian Energy Jobs Plan.
The academy is expected to produce an additional 2000 apprentices, mainly qualified electricians, to help meet demand in the growing clean energy sector.
