Jumbun microgrid project

Construction projects can be disruptive to the community and the microgrid may present some impacts. The types of impacts typically associated with the construction of a project like this include:

• Civil works – civil earth moving works to level the site and establish the microgrid’s foundations will be required in the construction phase.
• Noise, dust, and vibration – some audible noise, possible dust and localised vibration from construction activities can be expected.
• Construction traffic – a small increase in vehicles and equipment moving around the site during the construction and commissioning phases.
• Access and disruptions to traffic – from time to time during construction, we may introduce traffic control and/or speed limitations around the site to keep our crews and the public safe. This may include when heavy equipment is being delivered to site and is not expected to cause major delays.

There will also be positive impacts associated with the project including:

• Improved electricity reliability for the community.
• And the opportunity for the community to be involved in a range of planned activities and events throughout the project.

We anticipate the impacts associated with the construction of the Jumbun Microgrid will be very minor, and the project team will continue to keep the community and key stakeholders updated throughout the project.

Yes – Ergon Energy Network will own, and continue to operate and maintain, the new microgrid and the existing network assets.

BESS stands for Battery Energy Storage System, but they are commonly known as batteries.

They are a type of energy storage system, that uses batteries to store energy from the grid, to be used when it’s needed.

BESS come in various shapes and sizes, and they can use different technologies. They are like a rechargeable battery that can store energy from the grid and be used later when it’s needed.

In the case of the Jumbun Microgrid, the stored energy will be able to be used during power outages, like when Ergon needs to turn off power to safely work on the powerline, or during unplanned outages when there is a fault on the upstream network.

Batteries also help with smoothing the power output when the solar system is intermittent, like when a cloud passes over.

As part of the microgrid, the BESS will be connected to and charged by the existing electricity network.

The battery will be installed and maintained to the same high standard we would for any of our other electricity network assets. The operational practices for the batteries in the trial will also minimise the safety risks.

All chemical or energy infrastructure in the community, whether a petrol station or other electricity infrastructure, have some risks.

To address this, we will use the latest technology batteries and built the microgrid in a cleared area. The batteries and microgrid equipment will also be monitored remotely 24/7.

The likelihood of an incident is very low, however in the unlikely event the batteries’ alarms are triggered, we will have protocols in place to respond. Prior to commissioning the microgrid, we will engage with the local fire brigade and other emergency services, and we’ll have an appropriate Emergency Management Plan established.

The lithium-ion batteries we are using are expected to have a minimum life of 10 years, depending on how they are operated. They could have a life of up to 15 years.

Yes, batteries are already being recycled. We have several battery projects across Queensland, and we have engaged with an Australian recycling company to work with us to reduce our impact on country.

We will continue to review what is best practice, and our preferred recycler or recyclers, as our investment in battery technology continues to scale up.

We expect recycling services to evolve, potentially with economic opportunities for Queensland, as electric vehicle batteries drive demand for these services.

The batteries have cooling fans enclosed in the unit that will operate to keep the battery at the required temperature for safe operation. Although there is some noise emitted from the fans, the microgrid site is some distance from residents, so it’s unlikely the community will hear noise from the microgrid.

When new electrical infrastructure projects like the Jumbun Microgrid are discussed, many people ask about electric and magnetic fields (EMF). EMF are generated by any object with electric current flowing through it, including powerlines and all electrical appliances used in homes, such as televisions, washing machines, microwaves, hair dryers and computers.

The level of EMF from the microgrid batteries will depend on the amount of current in the units. The fields decrease in strength the further you move away from the source. We will be building the microgrid in a cleared location, well away from the Jumbun community.

The equipment Ergon uses and installs onto our network must comply with strict industry standards and our standards for EMF emissions continue to be better than those required by Australian and international health authorities.

We’ve got more detailed information on EMF and links to other relevant organisations on our Electric and magnetic fields web page.