"Tasmania is uniquely placed to help lead Australia through its challenging transition towards cleaner sources of energy. Battery of the Nation offers a future that’s clean, reliable and affordable." - Steve Davy, Hydro Tasmania CEO
New analysis from Hydro Tasmania shows the Battery of the Nation initiative offers significant potential for Tasmania and Victoria to work together to achieve an affordable, reliable clean energy future.
The white paper, How Battery of the Nation can contribute to Victoria’s energy needs and objectives, outlines the challenges facing Victoria as it transitions away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
The analysis shows Tasmania can help Victoria mitigate the risks of early or unexpected coal plan retirement, including high costs and unreliable supply, while supporting its renewable energy ambitions.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has committed up to $5.0 million for Battery of the Nation project studies, as part of its Advancing Renewables Program.
How Battery of the Nation can contribute to Victoria's energy needs and objectives
Hydro Tasmania has revealed the three sites selected for further investigation into their pumped hydro potential.
The three sites - at Lake Cethana and Lake Rowallan in the North West, and near Tribute Power Station on the West Coast – were selected from the original list of 14 potential pumped hydro options around the State.
They emerged as the most promising from the studies carried out over the last 20 months as part of a $2.0 million study jointly funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Hydro Tasmania. The study is part of the Battery of the Nation initiative.
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More interconnection will unlock the renewable energy potential of Tasmania.
TasNetworks has now released its Initial Feasibility Report considering a second Bass Strait electricity interconnector, Marinus Link, finding it is technically feasible and economically viable. The report found “it would be a strategic interconnection investment providing NEM-wide economic benefits”.
The release of the report coincides with the Federal Government’s announcement of $56 million to accelerate the delivery of Marinus Link.
You can read more about the initial feasibility assessment for Project Marinus and also review the Tasmanian Government’s Current Situation Assessment paper in relation to both Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation.
Benefits of more interconnection Analysis released by Hydro Tasmania demonstrates that additional Bass Strait interconnection would immediately unlock many hundreds of megawatts of latent dispatchable capacity in the Tasmanian hydropower system, and make it available to a transforming National Electricity Market (NEM).
The White Paper The potential of Tasmania’s renewable generation assets with more interconnection has been developed as part of Hydro Tasmania’s work to support Tasmania’s ambition to become the renewable energy Battery of the Nation.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has committed up to $5.0 million for Battery of the Nation project studies, as part of its Advancing Renewables Program. Download the White Paper >
The Battery of the Nation initiative is about investigating and developing a pathway of future development opportunities - wind, hydropower system expansion including pumped hydro and more transmission and interconnection.
Realising this vision would position Tasmania to make a much greater contribution to the National Electricity Market (NEM).
As part of this vision, and with the support of Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funding, Hydro Tasmania is advancing studies into three areas:
Building and testing models of a future Tasmanian energy landscape and the expanded role Tasmania could play in the future NEM.
Assessing high potential pumped hydro opportunities in Tasmania, to significantly boost the state’s hydropower capacity.
An assessment of projects that will improve and optimise our existing hydropower generation including the Tarraleah Power Scheme.
Future State NEM analysis-Executive Summary
Future State NEM analysis-Full Report
Pumped Hydro Knowledge Sharing Report
The findings demonstrate that Tasmania can make a significant contribution to the transformation of the NEM in coming years. It further strengthens the case for more interconnection across Bass Strait, which would also unlock Tasmania’s untapped wind energy potential.
Battery of the Nation is about locking in our island’s energy security and giving Tasmanians the lowest possible power prices. It offers a future that’s clean, reliable and affordable.
Battery of the Nation is not a Hydro Tasmania initiative; it’s a Tasmanian initiative. It’s designed to serve and support our communities, and will involve opportunities and contributions from right across the renewable energy sector.
Modelling shows Battery of the Nation would create billions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs in regional Tasmania over 10 to 15 years.
Doubling Tasmania’s clean energy would also create a surplus, beyond our own needs, to support mainland Australia. That’s crucial to replace the coal power that’s being phased out.
More interconnection makes all of this viable - allowing Tasmania to get its product to market. Even with the cost of developing further interconnection, our analysis confirms Battery of the Nation is a front-runner that’s extremely competitive and cost-effective.
Check out our frequently asked questions page and download fact sheets about our Battery of the Nation initiative.
It is still early stages but we anticipate that as work progresses, there will be opportunity for providing services to our projects.
We encourage you to check back for web site updates.
If you would like to contact us, please send us an email.