Australia's Squadron Energy eyes 2 GW renewables project linked to massive 12-hour battery

Australian renewables developer Squadron Energy has proposed a massive, 2 GW energy park consisting of 1 GW solar PV capacity and 1 GW wind power capacity, linked to a 1 GW / 12 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) that will offer 12 hours of power storage.

The proposal for the Koorakee Energy Park (KEP) has been submitted to authorities in New South Wales (NSW). In its scoping report, Squadron Energy said it expected the intended capacity of the project "could power up to one third of the households in NSW".

The company said it expects construction to commence in late 2025 once approvals are in place, and commissioning to take place during 2028-29. The project will come up on 580,000 acres of land near the South West Renewable Energy Zone, which has an intended network capacity of 3.8 GW.

Squadron Energy, owned by Andrew Forrest, Chairman of Fortescue Metals, has been growing its portfolio of renewable energy assets. The company now claims to have 1.1 GW of renewable energy assets in operation --- including the Bango and Sapphire Wind Farms --- and 900 MW under construction, with a further 20 GW in its development pipeline that includes the 600 MW Gol Gol battery and the 400 MW Clarke Creek Solar Farm in Queensland.