X-Elio is set to expand its Blue Grass solar farm in Queensland's Western Downs by adding a 148MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The project will be executed in two stages. The first stage, expected to achieve mechanical completion by Q3 2025, will involve a 60MW BESS. The second stage will add an additional 88MW BESS, with a target completion date of Q3 2026.
Once completed, this will mark X-Elio's first hybrid solar and storage project in Australia. The Blue Grass solar farm, which was officially inaugurated in November 2022, has a capacity of 200MW and was initially developed to support Queensland's Renewable Energy Target (QRET).
The integration of BESS technology will enhance the existing infrastructure by deploying grid-forming battery inverters, transforming the facility into a hybrid power source capable of providing essential grid services. This setup will enable the solar farm to store excess energy generated during peak solar hours and release it during periods of high demand or lower solar generation, thus improving energy reliability and grid stability.
The project is the result of collaboration between X-Elio and technology partners Ingeteam and Narada. Mirko Molinari, CCO of X-Elio, remarked, “This project will support grid resiliency in Queensland and enhance our solar farm's resilience to price volatility. We are excited about the prospects of BESS in Australia and believe its deployment greatly supports grids with high renewables penetration.”
