Chinese mining company Yancoal has proposed building a renewable energy hub at the site of the Stratford Mining Complex near Gloucester following the completion of mining operations this year.
The Stratford open cut mine, in the Gloucester Valley, has been operating since 1995 and employs about 100 people.
The proposed Stratford Renewable Energy Hub would include a 300 megawatt / 3600 megawatt hour pumped hydro energy storage system, which would use the mine's existing dams and water supply.
It would also feature a 300 megawatt solar farm, which would provide a portion of the energy to recharge the pumped hydro during daylight hours when there is excess renewable electricity already in the grid.
"Yancoal Australia is currently investigating diversification opportunities, including investment in other energy related projects, to create a sustainable long-term business," the company said.
"The Stratford Mining Complex has been identified as an ideal location to establish a renewable energy hub post-mining. This beneficial post-mining land use has the potential to provide continued investment to the Gloucester Valley."
If approved, construction would start in 2025 and take three years to complete.
MidCoast Council mayor Claire Pontin said she was fully supportive of the proposal.
"Pumped hydro is a very good use of the land and it will add to the necessary diversity of renewable energy sources," she said.
"The project will employ over 300 people during the four year construction period.
"Council are in discussions with Yancoal over the planning arrangements and hopefully we can also negotiate the use of some of the land for community projects."
Construction would include the creation of an upper reservoir and reconfiguring the existing Stratford East Dam to act as a lower reservoir
Yancoal has completed a pre-feasibility study and started a feasibility study, baseline environmental studies and stakeholder engagement.
"The Stratford Mining Complex's proximity to existing electricity transmission infrastructure and demand centres, its expansive landholding and the topography make it an ideal location for a renewable energy hub," the company said.
The project's location has a number of strategic advantages including:
- Proximity to TransGrid's existing high voltage power lines. This would avoid the need to establish new transmission easements.
- Existing mining infrastructure can be repurposed and re-used for the project.
- The project can be directly accessed by regional transport routes and population centres in Gloucester and Newcastle.
A company, owned by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy, recently won a tender to develop plans for two pumped hydro projects in the Upper Hunter.
WaterNSW has awarded a development agreement to Upper Hunter Hydro (UHH) to explore the feasibility of the projects using WaterNSW land and reservoirs in the Hunter Valley.
The pumped hydro projects, which would deliver long duration storage totalling more than 1.4 gigawatts for eight to 12 hours, could power a million homes.
UHH has been granted access to the Glenbawn Dam and Glennies Creek Dam as part of its investigation.
