Kidston renewable power plant: solar, wind, pumped hydro.

Kidston Solar and Pumped Hydro Project, (owned by Genex Power whose director is Simon Kidston), is being constructed at and near the abandoned Kidston Mine site and there is a plan to add wind power to the project. The location is 270km NW of Townsville, Queensland. The 250MW pumped storage hydro will be between two old mine pits that are at different elevations (pictured above and explained below).

Source: The Internet.

The construction of large scale solar, just to the west of the reservoirs, has begun with the completion of the 50MW project that commenced production of electricity in December 2017 and is already making considerable amounts of money. Construction of the second stage large scale solar project of 270MW and the wind farm will start later. The second stage solar farm will integrate with the pumped hydro plant to power the pumping.

Kidston Renewable Energy Hub solar + pumped hydro plan (source: Genex Power)

The 150MW wind farm will be located on a neighbouring escarpment some 350m above the surrounding topography, and about 40 turbines will stretch out for a distant of 21kms. Kidston says the wind would be stronger at night and compliment the output of the solar farm. Its combination of solar and wind power together with pumped hydro storage would be world-leading and reach the renewables “holy grail” of 24/7 dispatchable power.

Kidston would not be drawn on costs, but said the combined project would deliver reliable, dispatchable power at a significant discount to a new coal fired power station. This view is shared by Windlab, which says its own combination of wind, solar and battery storage, the Kennedy Energy Hub, will be significantly cheaper than coal.

Together, with the Kennedy Energy Hub just 80kms to the south - potentially a mega installation of 1200MW - it means that Queensland could be host of the world’s two leading renewables plus storage projects.

Read more:
Genex seeks "holy grail" of renewables - wind, solar, pumped hydro. RenewEconomy, April 5, 2018.
Renewable, reliable energy from an old, abandoned mine site? - that's gold. Australian Renewable Energy Agency, November 17, 2017.