Australia gives go-ahead to its first compressed air storage project

Broken Hill is closer to becoming one of the world’s largest renewable energy microgrids with the New South Wales (NSW) government giving planning approval for a compressed air energy storage (CAES) facility near the historic mining town.

From ESS News

Canadian company Hydrostor has secured NSW government approval to build a 200 MW/1.6 GWh CAES facility in a disused mine cavity near Broken Hill in the west of the state.

The AUD 652 million ($415 million) Silver City Energy Storage Centre (SCESC) will utilize Hydrostor’s advanced CAES technology that produces heated compressed air using excess electricity during periods of low energy demand. The compressed air is sent down a shaft into a purpose-built underground cavern. When energy is required, compressed air is sent back up the shaft to drive a turbine, which generates electricity that can be used to stabilize the local grid, provide energy for Broken Hill, or be sold into Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) grid.

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