CopperString $1b boost to unlock Queensland vanadium industry
A $20m early works package for engineering and geotechnical work has been awarded to CIMIC Group companies UGL and CPB Contractors for CopperString 2032’s early works.
It was announced at the official opening of Vecco Group’s $26m Townsville vanadium battery manufacturing facility.
The new facility will produce the electrolyte needed to manufacture vanadium batteries, which last longer than lithium-ion batteries, at up to 20 years and have lower rates of degradation while being almost 100% recyclable.
Queensland’s coal royalties will also boost CopperString 2032 by $1b, with $594m committed to start construction over the next financial year.
The State plans to use vanadium batteries in the Queensland SuperGrid, with Energy Queensland inking a deal with Vecco and Sumitomo Electric to trial a vanadium battery in South East Queensland.
Energy Queensland and Vecco Group will also work together to assess the benefits and technical considerations for connecting more vanadium batteries to the electricity network.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she wants see vanadium mined, processed and made into vanadium batteries within the State itself.
“This is just the beginning of the manufacturing and mining jobs boom that our investment in CopperString 2032 delivers for North Queensland,” she said.
“Queensland has unique deposits of many of the minerals needed for the global energy transformation, along with the best mining and manufacturing workforce.”
Queensland Resources Minister and Townsville MP Scott Stewart says there is enormous potential for vanadium mining and production in North Queensland as demand for vanadium batteries continues to rise and the State creates a whole supply chain across North Queensland.
“About 800 jobs will be supported through project construction, and when completed the new transmission line significantly increases opportunities to connect high quality renewable resources to our region’s industries,” he said.
“With Joint Venture partners UGL and CPB Contractors now on-board, we will be fast-tracking work on the 500kV transmission line from Townsville to Hughenden as well as associated works to progress the project towards construction commencing in 2024.”
Queensland Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Minister Mick de Brenni says around 36,000 local jobs are forecast to be created in industries supporting the development of the Queensland SuperGrid.
“Copperstring 2032 will be connected to the Queensland SuperGrid, the nation’s largest energy grid, meaning that wherever energy is generated–we can capture it, send it, store it, and use it wherever it is needed,” he said.
“As CopperString 2032 progresses we’re also set to see a number of high-quality renewables resources become available in the Hughenden region – a region that has the potential to become Australia’s largest Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).”
Vecco Group managing director Tom Northcott says the company’s high-quality vanadium resource in North West Queensland provides an opportunity to build a Queensland vanadium mining and battery manufacturing industry.
“Vanadium flow batteries will play a significant role in the Queensland SuperGrid and we expect to see deployments of this proven technology accelerate as the local supply chain expands,” he said.
“The Queensland Government has shown great foresight in its commitment to supporting the vanadium industry and it is fantastic to see this supply chain plan being implemented through the government-owned corporations such as EQL.”
CIMIC Group executive chairman Juan Santamaria says UGL and CPB are pleased to further strengthen their involvement with CopperString 2032.
“[They are keen to] support the Queensland Government to deliver the important infrastructure that will form the Queensland SuperGrid electricity system and the economic and employment benefits it will bring to communities,” he said.
“We have a track record of high voltage power projects in some of Australia’s remote regions, having installed more than 6,500km of transmission lines across the country and is currently delivering, with Powerlink, the 275kV electricity transmission line and associated switching station to connect Genex’s renewable energy generation project at Kidston.”
Copperstring 2032 is a $5b, 1,100km transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa that will connect Queensland’s North West Minerals Province to the national electricity grid.
The project includes an increased transmission capacity of 500kV (from 330kV) for the section of line between Townsville and Hughenden for renewable energy for that region.
It will connect vast renewable wind and solar resources with critical minerals mining and processing that can be used to make batteries and renewables.
Early works have started with construction to start in 2024, with project completion by 2029.
