Spain's X-Elio proposes 350 MW solar plant with 120 MW / 240 MWh big battery in Queensland

Spanish renewables developer X-Elio has applied for environmental approval in Australia to build a 350 MW solar farm coupled with a two-hour big battery of 120 MW / 240 MWh.

The project, dubbed Sixteen Mile solar farm and battery, would be located in the rural town on Hopeland in the Western Downs region of Queensland. It would come up on land that X-Elio says has been previously cleared for grazing and cropping, and connect the existing Western Downs Substation via a new 7.4 km powerline.

Its purpose, says the company's environmental clearance submission, is "to provide a large output capacity of renewable power supply, that will contribute to the state and national decarbonisation goals whilst the BESS will provide frequency regulation services to support grid reliability."

Andrew Smith, Regional Council Mayor for Western Downs said in a statement: "The Western Downs is proudly 'The Energy Capital of Queensland' and we are leaders in wind, solar, hydrogen, coal and gas energy, producing power for more than two million Australians."

The Western Downs Development Status report 2024 says that the council has approved 24 solar farms, two wind farms and a green hydrogen plant. The report notes that another 13 renewable energy projects are being proposed for the region, including X-Elio's Sixteen Mile solar and battery project.