Renewable energy developer ACE Power has seen its 3.6GWh Nebo battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland waved through the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
According to an update on the EPBC Act website, the Nebo BESS has been granted the “not a controlled action” referral decision, which allows the project to proceed. In doing so, the project will not be subject to full assessment and approvals under the federal government’s Act.
The 900MW/3,600MWh 4-hour duration BESS will cover 97 hectares and also include an extension to Powerlink’s Nebo substation. Two underground 275kV circuits will connect the project to this substation.
The project will be located near the rural town of Nebo in the Isaac region, around 956km north of the state capital, Brisbane. It will import electricity from the grid, which will then be stored and exported during peak demand.
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According to documents submitted in January 2025 to the EPBC Act, the project will have two 450MW stages that could be developed separately or concurrently. Although the specific details of the BESS technology were not disclosed, the company confirmed that it will utilise lithium-ion technology.
The project’s first stage will include developing 450MW of BESS, a switchyard, and transmission infrastructure alongside the access driveway to the project site. Stage two will add 450MW of BESS and a second switchyard.
ACE Power confirmed that the construction phase of the Nebo BESS will take 12 to 18 months and is likely to start in the first quarter of 2026, subject to timely planning approval.
Once operational, the project will operate for around 45 years, with a repowering scheduled after the first 20 years. ACE Power secured the rights to the land in the first quarter of 2023.
Another site, Neoen Australia’s Narrogin Wind Farm in Western Australia, which includes plans for a 100MW/200MWh co-located BESS, has also been cleared for development following an EPBC Act decision.
The project will be located approximately 7km east of the town of Williams, and 160km southeast of Perth, Western Australia. The wind plant element will comprise 25 turbines and have a generation capacity of 200MW.
