Stor-Energy lodges plans in Australia for up to 3,530 MWh of storage in two projects at three sites

Stor-Energy has submitted plans under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act for multiple projects in the past weeks, including a 150 MW/730 MWh project in the state of New South Wales, and in the state of Queensland, two extensive BESS facilities at Columboola, with Columboola West at 400 MW/1,600 MWh and Columboola East at 150 MW/1,200 MWh.

Molong

The most recent plan submitted under the EPBC Act is for the Molong BESS, a 150MW/730MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) near Molong, in the central west of the state of New South Wales, for assessment. The project would connect to the nearby Molong substation, owned by TransGrid, for integration with the National Electricity Market.

The Molong Battery proposed by the HMC Capital-owned Stor-Energy would offer close to five hours of storage at full output, and be designed for energy shifting while also providing ancillary services such as frequency regulation.

The facility would occupy 9.6 hectares within a 426-hectare project area, using 264 modular battery enclosures and 50 inverters for DC-AC conversion. Stor-Energy said it plans to use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry, citing improved thermal stability compared to other lithium-ion chemistries.

Construction is expected to take about 14 months, followed by eight months of commissioning. The operational life is anticipated to be about 30 years, after which the site would be decommissioned and restored in line with environmental regulations.

The project’s public comment period under the EPBC Act runs until 24 August 2025.

Columboola

Stor-Energy has also recently submitted EPBC Act plans for two large BESS facilities in Queensland, at Columboola West and Columboola East, with planning approvals sought in early 2026. The company told ESS News that the duration of the batteries differed from the EPBC Act submission.

The projects will be near the rural town of Columboola in the Western Downs region. Based on their flexible configurations, the projects are:

• Columboola West: A 400 MW/1,600 MWh BESS, for up to 4 hours of duration, comprising 536 battery enclosures with space for 202 more for capacity replenishment over the life of the system.
• Columboola East: A 150 MW/1,200 MWh BESS, for up to 8 hours of duration, and will comprise 400 battery enclosures if full duration is built out.

The two Queensland facilities will be connected via an underground transmission line to the existing Columboola Substation, owned by Powerlink. Battery units, inverters, a transformer and two separate substations (one Columboola West and one for Columboola East) will be required.

Planning approval for these projects will be sought in early 2026, with construction slated to commence in the second quarter of 2026 and last approximately 21 months.

The submission to the EPBC Act notes the possible presence of koalas in the area. The project’s development will require the removal of 26.96 hectares of potential koala foraging habitat, though Stor-Energy said it will take precautions during construction and with siting. Still, the EPBC Act application will determine the possible impact of the proposal.

The project’s public comment period closed in early August.

A 162 MW solar farm is located nearby.