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The largest pumped hydro storage project in the world!

image credit: Image courtesy of Queensland Hydro, Australia
Kent Knutson's picture
Kent Knutson 27,461
Energy Market Specialist Hitachi Energy USA Inc.

Kent Knutson is a market specialist focusing on energy industry intelligence for Hitachi Energy.  He has more than 30 years of experience designing and developing intelligence products for some...

  • Member since 2018
  • 216 items added with 150,715 views
  • Oct 5, 2022
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Stage one of the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro storage project, announced on September 28, is estimated to be completed in 2032, with the final stage operational by 2035. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcement in her State of the State speech in which she introduced Queensland's 10-year energy plan. The facility in Pioneer Creek will be the largest pumped hydro energy storage project in the world with 5 gigawatts (GW) of 24-hour storage when complete. 

Pioneer-Burdekin Factsheet: https://lnkd.in/d7stPi5x

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Julian Jackson's picture
Julian Jackson on Oct 5, 2022

That looks like a nice project.

Kent Knutson's picture
Kent Knutson on Oct 6, 2022

Julian, thanks for your note. The power grid needs to integrate as much long-duration energy storage and other flexible resources as it can muster up . . . otherwise, there is a dead-end for wind and solar ahead. It is becoming clearer by the day that the 'transition' needs to be a 'transition'.  thx again for your note.    

Roger Arnold's picture
Roger Arnold on Oct 7, 2022

After reading this, I did a little quick research on the project. I note that at this point, it's still only a proposal. It apparently faces a some degree of opposition. I suppose that's par for any large hydro project these days. I don't know anything about the political situation in Queensland, so I've no idea how likely it is that the project will actually go forward.

I'd like to have seen more technical detail about the proposed project, to help gauge what's considered feasible. E.g., elevations of upper and lower reservoirs, water storage capacities, length of proposed tunnels, and nature of rock through which the tunnels will be driven. I'm sure that's available somewhere, but I wasn't able to find it in a casual web search. 

Kent Knutson's picture
Thank Kent for the Post!
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