GE Vernova lands second large-scale battery contract at Australia’s Supernode site

US-based company GE Vernova has secured its second battery energy storage system (BESS) project win at the Supernode hyperscale data center and energy storage project being developed in the Australian state of Queensland.

Having begun work on a 250 MW/500 MWh, first stage battery system, following a tender win in early 2024, GE Vernova has secured the contract for stage two of the three-stage project, which involves a 250 MW/1 GWh battery system.

Energy transition-focused investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners is developing a grid-connected data center and 750 MW energy storage site north of Brisbane which will have two hours to four hours of energy storage, hinting the final-stage battery storage project could have a power output of 250 MW.

All of the electricity provided by the second stage of the grid storage project has been snapped up by Sydney-based electricity retailer Origin Energy.

The site is being developed next to the South Pine switchyard, a central point of Queensland’s electricity network through which an estimated 80% of the state’s traded energy passes daily. Proximity to the switchyard will reduce Supernode’s marginal loss factor and risk of curtailment.

The energy storage systems at the Supernode project will feature the Evolve, artificial intelligence-enabled battery optimization product developed by Habitat Energy, which is wholly owned by Quinbrook.

Queensland’s Energy and Jobs Plan envisages the state drawing 70% of its electricity from renewables by 2032 and 80% by 2035. The plan states the latter goal will require 3 GW of grid-scale battery energy storage in the state by 2035.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has predicted Queensland will need 10 GW of battery energy storage sites by 2050.