Australia's First Grid NAS Battery Commissioned in Brisbane
Lava Blue has commissioned Australia's first grid-connected sodium-sulfur battery at a Brisbane research facility.
Australia's first grid-connected sodium-sulfur battery storage system is now operating in Brisbane. The system was developed through a research partnership with the Queensland University of Technology.
Meanwhile, a separate 180MW/360MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system project has cleared a stage of federal environmental review. The project is being developed by the joint venture ZEBRE.
Sodium-Sulfur Battery at Industrial Site
Advanced materials company Lava Blue has commissioned the battery at its Centre for Predictive Research into Specialty Materials facility. The 250kW/1.45MWh sodium-sulfur system was manufactured by Japan's NGK.
It has been paired with 200kW of existing solar generation at the site. The combined system is connected to Energex's distribution network and the National Electricity Market.
Lava Blue stated the system can supply up to 100% of the PRiSM facility's peak operating load. This includes power for energy-intensive equipment used to develop high-purity alumina.
The project was delivered through the Queensland Energy Storage Technology Hub. This is a QUT and Queensland Government-backed initiative focused on commercialising battery technology. Lava Blue is a founding industry partner.
Electrical engineering and system integration was handled by Melbourne-based Allset Energy. This company previously deployed Australia's first NAS battery at a remote Western Australian mining site in 2023.
The power management interface was built with more than 80% Australian content. This included DC converters supplied by Queensland manufacturer Advanced Converter Solutions.
NAS batteries are designed for long-duration storage. They can discharge for six hours or more at rated capacity. The technology has over two decades of commercial operation globally, with roughly 5GWh deployed worldwide.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has previously backed NAS battery trials. It noted the technology's tolerance for extreme heat could make it useful in regional networks where other storage types are less suitable.
The commissioning occurs during uncertainty for the NAS supply chain. NGK announced in October 2025 it would discontinue manufacturing and sales of the NAS battery line. This followed its chemical partner BASF withdrawing financial backing.
NGK said the decision followed a failed search for alternative investment. The company will continue servicing existing installations, including the one at PRiSM.
ZEBRE's Lithium-Ion Project Approval
Approximately 20 kilometers from the PRiSM facility, a much larger battery project has progressed. ZEBRE has received a referral decision under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act for its Noblevale Battery.
The project is planned for Swanbank, near Ipswich. It is a 180MW/360MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system with a two-hour duration at full power.
The proposed site is a repurposed mining area. It will connect to the Blackstone substation via an underground transmission cable.
The developer structured the layout to avoid a mapped Koala Habitat Area. This included using koala-proof fencing and retaining a patch of remnant vegetation. Seventeen medium- to large-sized native canopy trees will be removed from other parts of the property.
ZEBRE is a joint venture between Taiwan's HD Renewable Energy and Australian developer ZEN Energy. The HDRE Trust II holds a 70% stake in the venture.
Ipswich City Council approved the development application in December 2025. Construction is planned to begin in September 2027.
The Noblevale Battery will sit within the Swanbank Industrial Area. This former coal hub is earmarked as a future Clean Energy Hub. It is adjacent to CleanCo Queensland's operational 250MW/500MWh Swanbank BESS, which opened in February 2026.
Developers of the existing Swanbank facility pointed to benefits from reusing transmission infrastructure. ZEBRE's referral documents cite the same rationale for siting the Noblevale project.
