Shadow Minister for Energy and Renewables, Ryan Smith and Member for Polwarth, Richard Riordan have today called on the State Government to re-assess their plans for Geelong’s ‘big battery’.
Plans for the $300 million project, put forward by French energy developer Neoen, disregard the poor transmission network in Victoria’s west.
The collapse in the South Australian interconnector earlier in the year showed the poor planning around Victoria’s renewables, with the lack of investment in the transmission network largely contributing to the resulting localised blackouts as many of the Western Victorian wind turbines had to be turned off to maintain grid stability.
The proposed energy storage project would be better positioned in the heart of Victoria’s renewable energy production area, enabling greater efficiency, reliability and stability in Victoria’s renewable energy production and transmission.
Locating a ‘big battery’ in a location such as Mortlake would go some way towards ensuring the power generated in Victoria’s west can actually reach the households where it is needed.
Ryan Smith said, “With a little thought, this crucial piece of electrical infrastructure could be based where its benefits can be maximised,”
Local Member Richard Riordan said “It makes sense to create a backup to the energy supply where the energy is generated. Having situations where the only choice for energy controllers is to turn off renewable energy when the production becomes unstable is crazy and wasteful.”
