PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has announced a A$15-million investment to scale up the National Battery Testing Centre (NBTC), as part of plans to ramp up battery manufacturing in the state.

“Energy storage is the key to unlocking Queensland’s renewable energy revolution,” Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said.

“It also represents a chance to build new manufacturing capacity in Queensland, supporting more secure, skilled jobs. As we progress towards our 50% renewable energy target by 2030, we want to ensure Queenslanders benefit from the thousands of jobs that will be created in the batteries sector as part of the global transition to a low carbon future.

“This investment underlines that the state has a strong role to play in battery supply chains both domestically and globally.

“The development of a responsible battery industry is paramount to Australia’s carbon-reduction efforts.”

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said the A$15-million investment reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing energy independence by detaching Queensland energy prices from global impacts.

“What the challenges in the National Energy Market show is that as we move to a more diversified energy system, batteries are absolutely critical to keeping prices low,” De Brenni said.

“Today’s investment in new technology will help capture Queensland’s incredible solar resources and put them into the grid during the peak period each morning and evening. Queensland’s publicly-owned power companies are already investing in more than 430 MW of batteries with more to come.”

The A$15-million investment in the NBTC is expected to leverage up to A$35-million in university and industry investment providing a total funding injection of approximately A$50-million over five years.

NBTC is a partnership between the state and federal governments, industry and the Queensland University of Technology, and provides validation and safety testing for all types of batteries with various chemistries, including lithium-ion, and the larger, redox flow batteries both made in Australia or internationally.

This enables the deployment of battery systems to meet Queensland’s rapidly growing large-scale energy storage requirements and puts Queensland-based battery manufacturers in the box seat to be market leaders.

“Expanding the centre will help to meet the significant demand for its services by further supporting industry to commercialise and deploy new battery technology to key markets. The centre’s development will establish Queensland as a battery technology leader within Australia and attract industry participants in the battery supply chain to the Sunshine State, while creating new highly-skilled jobs,” Dick said.

Increased support for the NBTC will be one of a range of actions in the Queensland government’s Battery Industry Strategy expected to be released later this year.