A 100 megawatt grid-connected battery - the largest in the country, will be built on land near Channel Infrastructure above, and may later be joined by a 125MW solar farm. Photo / Supplied
A 100 megawatt grid-connected battery - the largest in the country, will be built on land near Channel Infrastructure above, and may later be joined by a 125MW solar farm. Photo / Supplied
The country's largest grid-connected battery to store 100 megawatts of power - enough to power 60,000 households for two hours over winter - will be built at Ruakākā, with power company Meridian Energy receiving the green light to go ahead with the plan this week.
The battery site will cover an area the size of two rugby fields on land next to Channel Infrastructure - the former Marsden Pt Oil Refinery.
Meridian said the battery will improve the resilience of Northland's electricity network.
Meridian has been granted resource consent from Whangārei District Council and Northland Regional Council for the construction of what will be the country's largest grid-connected battery energy storage system on Rama Rd in Ruakākā - that will be the first stage of Meridian's Ruakākā Energy Park, which may also later house a 125MW solar farm.
Meridian head of renewable development Rebecca Knott said the 100MW battery storage will provide additional reserve power and resilience to the national grid, accelerate the growth of renewable generation and support the transition to a net-zero economy by 2050.
The battery storage will cover an area the size of two rugby fields, with construction beginning early next year on land Meridian bought from Rio Tinto. It is expected to be completed in 2024.
Knott said getting consent is a critical milestone for the project, which will improve the resilience of Northland's regional network and the electricity system as a whole. She said the final cost of the project had yet to be finalised, but it would be in "the tens of millions of dollars" and provide jobs for Northlanders.
"It will provide reserve power in the event of insufficient generation by allowing more electricity to flow north from the South Island, and by storing power from the grid during off-peak periods. When fully charged, it would be capable of powering 60,000 average households for two hours over a winter's evening," Knott said.
She said the battery storage will likely have a modest positive impact on regional and national power prices.
"We've seen our electricity system come under occasional strain with supply issues that have led to price instability. The battery storage will help to reduce these events by smoothing the distribution of supply and demand.
"It will also help to facilitate the integration of more renewable generation, potentially leading to the earlier retirement of fossil fuel-fired power plants in the North Island," Knott said.
Meridian has been working closely with mana whenua Patuharakeke on the battery project, and Patuharakeke Trust Board Resource Management Unit spokeswoman Juliane Chetham said the hapū was generally in support of the battery project and welcomed any new initiative that would give 'energy sovereignty' to the hapū and wider Northland community.
''We have initiated a relationship agreement with Meridian. It's not fully signed-up yet, but its pretty much agreed. If they are going to be a neighbour in our rohe, it's important to have a good relationship.''
Chetham said the hapū did a cultural report on the battery plan as part of Meridian's resource consent application and made some recommendations, such as in relation to earthworks and monitoring of the site.
An impression of the $35 million solar farm proposed by Chanel Infrastructure, that if built will be near where Meridian Energy has plans for a 125MW solar farm. Photo / Supplied
''We are, at a high level, supportive of moves that will mean we don't have to use coal power [when there is an electricity supply issue] like we did when we had to fire up Huntly [a coal-fired power station] last year.
''We're really keen for our community to be more resilient when it comes to energy - [this will help give] energy sovereignty for our entire Northland community, as well as our hapū.
"The price of power is so high for our hapū, and we support any initiative [which would bring prices down].
''But that's not to say we want out whole rohe covered in solar farms,'' she said.
Chetham said the hapū had yet to assess Meridian's solar farm plans.
Knott says the battery project will benefit the local economy through employment opportunities during construction.
"We're talking to a number of [Northland] contractors for the initial stage of construction, including earthworks, civil and electrical works, and looking forward to engaging further with local businesses as this important project takes shape.
"We are also continuing our work with iwi and other community stakeholders about the best use of the site to ensure their interests are well represented," Knott said.
The company's planned solar farm, if it goes ahead, is not far from where Channel Infrastructure may have a solar farm in the future to power its site.
In August, Channel Infrastructure called for proposals to supply power to its Marsden Pt site, which could include developing a massive solar farm.
Channel Infrastructure - now a fuel infrastructure company after its predecessor Refining NZ stopped refining fuel - released a request for information (RFI) seeking proposals for long-term electricity supply to its Marsden Pt site, which may involve the development of the Maranga Ra solar project.
Maranga Ra is Channel Infrastructure's fully consented 35GWh/annum solar farm.
The project was put on hold during the company's Strategic Review, and a subsequent decision was made to reset operations and shut down the oil refinery.
