Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has commenced commercial operations for the 619MWh Stage One of its Supernode battery energy storage system (BESS) project, located at the South Pine substation in Queensland, Australia.
The 260MW/619MWh Supernode Stage One is now delivering its full output to the Queensland electricity grid and the National Electricity Market (NEM) under a 12-year tolling agreement managed by Origin Energy.
The facility is designed to provide grid stability, flexibility, and firming capabilities, optimising renewable energy production during peak and off-peak periods. This is particularly critical in Queensland, where rooftop solar generation often reaches maximum output during the day.
The Supernode project is set to expand significantly over the next two years. Construction is ongoing for stages two and three, which will increase total capacity to 780MW/3,074MWh by 2027.
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Quinbrook has also announced plans for a Stage Four expansion, currently in pre-construction. This phase is expected to host the first deployment of Quinbrook’s EnerQB long-duration energy storage (LDES) solution, developed in partnership with CATL.
Quinbrook plans to deploy approximately 3GW of EnerQB technology across Australia, equivalent to 24GWh of storage capacity, with the Supernode project serving as the initial deployment site.
Construction of stages one and two received significant financial backing through AU$722 million (US$477 million) in debt financing closed by Quinbrook in January 2025.
This financing package, arranged through a consortium including Bank of America, Commonwealth Bank, Deutsche Bank, Mizuho Bank, and MUFG Bank, supports the development of a combined 520MW/1,856MWh capacity across the first two project phases.
Quinbrook has also secured arrangements for the project’s third stage through a 1,010MWh offtake agreement with Stanwell Corporation, Queensland’s government-owned energy generator.
Origin Energy has contracted 100% of the capacity for stages one and two under long-term agreements. Greg Jarvis, executive general manager of energy supply and operations at Origin Energy, highlighted the importance of battery storage in supporting the energy transition.
“The 260MW from Supernode Stage One brings Origin’s operational large-scale battery capacity to 710MW, following the commencement of Eraring Battery 1 earlier this year.
“With Supernode Stage Two, along with our Eraring Two and Mortlake batteries, coming online in the coming months, Origin’s battery storage portfolio will grow to 1.7GW across owned and tolled large-scale projects,” Jarvis stated.
Located adjacent to the central node of Queensland’s electricity transmission network, the Supernode facility occupies a strategic position where approximately 80% of the state’s electricity flows daily.
James Allan, senior director at Quinbrook, emphasised the importance of placing storage assets in optimal locations to support the transition of power systems.
“Supernode is a case study in how technically advanced and large-scale storage can be conceived, located, and delivered in Australia to support the progressive transition of our power systems,” Allan said.
The project also benefits from collaboration with Powerlink Queensland, which has supported grid connection and operational readiness.
Additionally, the Moreton Bay Regional Council has played a “key role” in facilitating the project’s development, further underscoring the importance of local partnerships in delivering large-scale infrastructure.
The Energy Storage Summit Australia 2026 will be returning to Sydney on 18-19 March. It features keynote speeches and panel discussions on topics such as the Capacity Investment Scheme, long-duration energy storage, and BESS revenue streams. ESN Premium subscribers receive an exclusive discount on ticket prices.
To secure your tickets and learn more about the event, please visit the official website.
