FAQs

The Energy Park will be strategically located adjacent to the South East Substation, 10 kms outside of the city of Mount Gambier. It will connect into the established transmission infrastructure with virtually no impact on the local landscape and communities. Once established it will be surrounded by a corridor of native vegetation.

In essence an Energy Park is simply a huge version of a rechargeable battery you might use at home. When the electricity grid is producing an excess of energy – for example, through renewable generation when the sun is shining, or the wind is blowing – then some of that excess energy can be captured and stored by grid-scale batteries. Then, at times of increased demand or when renewable energy generation is not available, the battery can discharge that stored energy back into the grid to relieve demand pressure and minimise the occurrence of high price events. As a result, Energy Park facilities are now becoming a common, standard part of most countries’ new-energy supply infrastructure. 

Grid-scale batteries are playing a crucial role in the world’s net-zero transition by stabilising energy supply and energy costs ensuring energy generated from renewable sources can be captured and used when it is needed.

The Limestone Coast Energy Park will strengthen grid stability for communities in the region while also offering a storage solution for excess energy generation from the many renewable generation projects in the area.

Other technology such as pumped-hydro storage also play a similar role. Together, it is this kind of technology which will allow us to continue utilising clean renewable energy but in a more efficient and sustainable way.

No. The project is not linked to, or reliant on any new renewable energy generation. The project will draw energy from the grid.

No new roads will be needed during construction and operation of the facility.

While there will be increased traffic to the site during construction, once operational, the Energy Park will not impact local road networks or transport. However, an independent traffic assessment is currently being undertaken to ensure local residents and businesses are not affected. 

No additional transmission infrastructure beyond the Energy Park site will be required as it is situated on the site of the current operational Southeast electrical substation.

The safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate takes precedence in all we do.

In addition to first-class technical engineering that’s designed to meet IEC and Australian standards, all Pacific Green energy storage projects undergo rigorous safety and security testing to minimise safety risks.

The Limestone Coast Energy Park will come equipped with the latest Lithium battery technology incorporating several integrated fire safety measures. This will include both external monitoring and heat sensors as well as individual units within each battery container that are sealed and monitored with their own fire suppression systems. This means that if a single cell fails, this section of the battery is isolated and contained, thus protecting the rest of the container unit.

A Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) has also been specifically designed to over-see the Limestone Coast Energy Park operations. 

The Energy Park will generate very minor ambient noise when operational. Thorough noise testing has been completed, with findings confirming that the Energy Park will be well below all legal noise limits, and will not exceed the ambient noise in the area. Further, the Energy Park design ensures that the closest dwelling is at least 750m away to minimise noise impact to neighbours.

The Limestone Coast Energy Park is currently going through a Development Application with the State Government. As part of this process specialist studies into a range of impact areas including biodiversity, cultural heritage, and noise are being undertaken to ensure the project minimises and manages any impacts and meets or exceeds all statutory requirements under the Development Application. 

Pacific Green is committed to open and transparent engagement with the community and all interested parties.

Landholders immediately adjacent to the facility will be notified of the formal consultation period and given fifteen business days to submit any responses. Other stakeholders can also make submissions to the public consultation during this time.

We will update interested stakeholders, via our website and newsletter, when the public consultation is open. You can also visit plan.sa.gov.au/development_applications for more information.   

During the construction phase several employment and contracting opportunities will be available and we will aim to engage local contractors, suppliers and businesses where possible.

We are currently speaking to several potential users of the battery. It is likely that all of the storage capacity will be used by an energy retailer to strengthen their ability to stabilise supply. However, all or half of the capacity could also be used to buy, store and sell energy from and into the National Energy Market (NEM). 

In any scenario, the outcome will be a net-benefit for Australia’s energy stability and supply security.