Tesla renewable energy project a first of its kind in Queensland
Published 14 May 2024
City of Moreton Bay is amped up after a brand-new Tesla Megapack battery was successfully switched on at our Bunya Waste Management Facility.
This will supply homes with energy generated from a renewable source during peak hours when it is needed the most.
Mayor Peter Flannery said no other Council in Queensland was using this technology to store and dispatch renewable energy created from landfill biogas, thanks to a partnership with leading green energy provider LGI Limited.
“City of Moreton Bay has a target to reach net zero emissions by 2039 for our operations. Capturing and using biogas to create renewable energy reduces our emissions and is a win-win for both the environment and ratepayers,” he said.
“Thanks to our partnership with LGI Limited, we’ve successfully abated the equivalent of 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering our atmosphere since 2010, which is the same as planting 20 million seedlings and waiting for them to mature into full-grown trees.
“We’ve done that by capturing biogas from landfill at our three major Waste Management Facilities at Bunya, Caboolture and Dakabin and then converting it into renewable energy.
“The three power projects developed and operated by LGI in City of Moreton Bay have the capacity to produce enough renewable energy to power up to 10,000 local homes per year.
“Now with the addition of a Tesla Megapack we’re able to control the flow of energy into the grid from our Bunya facility to create a more stable power supply during peak times and address customer needs.
“LGI can effectively switch the power on within seconds to meet the demands of households at any time of the day or night, which is especially valuable in a time of uncertainty for electricity.
“It also creates an income stream for Council, which allows us to invest back into our community. Council is committed to the continual investment into our waste management services and recycling education programs.
“As the third largest Council area in Australia it’s up to us to be a leader in green technology and I hope other Council’s can follow what we’re doing here with LGI, to create a greener future for Queensland.
“If this battery is the success we think it will be, then there’s scope for more of these to be rolled out at our other sites.”
City of Moreton Bay has been partnering with LGI since 2010 and since then, has stopped 124 million cubic metres of methane gas from entering the atmosphere.
LGI Chief Operating Officer, Jarryd Doran said, the introduction of Queensland’s first onsite battery storage, that is connected to a power station using biogas from landfill, is a game changer for the sector.
“We expect the National Energy Market to continue its current trend of increasing volatility, with negative prices during the day and high to extreme pricing during periods of high demand,” he said.
“Meanwhile the market needs clean, reliable, affordable power. To address these changing market needs, LGI has embarked on strategy of upgrading sites with battery energy storage systems, controlled by our Dynamic Asset Control System (DACS).
“This technology allows LGI to provide market rapid response power and storage, while maximising biogas recovery and emissions abatement from landfill.
“This onsite battery milestone has been two years in the making and is an extension of the Bunya Renewable Power Station LGI built in 2018, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“LGI has worked closely with the City of Moreton Bay and Energy Queensland to make this upgrade project possible.
“The Bunya biogas to renewable power project is the first of its kind in Queensland to incorporate an onsite, grid connected battery. However, connecting a Jenbacher 312 engine with a battery to the distribution grid with active voltage management is a world first.”
Follow Council's webpage for updated information on the project.