Aggreko is constructing a hybrid power station near Miles, Queensland, that will support Arrow Energy’s Surat Gas Project and demonstrate how natural gas and renewables can work together to deliver safe, reliable and cleaner energy.
The hybrid facility will supply electricity to Arrow’s field compression station, where gas will be processed in readiness for market. Up to 90 jobs will be created during the construction phase of the power station, which, once operational, will be fuelled by a mix of gas, solar and battery.
Once operational in 2027, the power station is expected to supply up to 186 gigawatt hours of electricity each year, with approximately 20% generated from solar.
Global energy solutions provider Aggreko will develop, own and operate the facility under a 20‑year agreement with Arrow Energy.
Arrow Energy CEO XinMiao Tong says by integrating solar generation and battery storage with gas-powered electricity, the company will strengthen the operational resilience while improving greenhouse gas emissions footprint as the company produces essential energy for Queensland.
“With natural gas expected to remain an important part of the energy mix for several decades to come, integrated solutions such as this are the shape of things to come,” Tong says.
“Arrow has significantly reduced its emission intensity across our gas operations over the past decade, and this hybrid power solution is the next step in supporting Australia’s net zero ambitions.”
Aggreko Managing Director George Whyte says the project represents a milestone for the region and for the future of hybrid energy in Australia.
“The combination of thermal generation, solar power and battery storage delivers
a robust energy platform that supports Arrow’s operational reliability and contributes to Queensland’s broader decarbonisation goals,” Whyte says.
The hybrid power station will include a 17 megawatt-powered solar farm, subject to final government approvals, an 8.4 megavolt ampere (MVA) / 16 megawatt per hour battery energy storage system (BESS) and a 33.75 MVA gas‑fired thermal power station.
Construction will be delivered in two stages. The thermal power station and battery system are planned to be operational by mid-2027, followed by the solar farm by the end of 2027.
At peak operations, the solar and battery component is expected to reduce annual fuel gas consumption by around 385,000 gigajoules and cut GHG emissions by approximately 21,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, when compared to a power station fuelled only by natural gas.
The project will also deliver local economic benefits, creating up to 90 jobs during construction and increasing local spending in the Miles and wider Surat Basin region.
Aggreko is an engineered energy and temperature solutions provider focused on designing, deploying and optimising the flexible energy and temperature solutions essential to its customers’ operations.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Aggreko
