Supernode

Case studies

Sector
Solar + Storage Solutions
Region
Australia

UN SDGs

Strengthening grid reliability and enabling decarbonisation through large-scale battery storage

Challenge

Renewable electricity generation in Australia has more than doubled in the last 10 years, representing an increasing share of electricity supply across the National Electricity Market (NEM). While critical for the energy transition, it introduces new system challenges, including frequency management, price volatility and the need for dispatchable capacity. As intermittent renewable generation replaces thermal baseload plant, system security increasingly depends on fast-response technologies capable of stabilising the grid in real time.

780 MW / 3,074 MWh

BESS

5 million

Estimated to avoid over 5 million tCO₂e gross avoided emissions over about 20 years when fully operational

260 MW

Stage 1 – 260 MW now operational

Context

Supernode, located in Queensland, Australia, is a landmark digital and energy infrastructure project and one of Australia’s largest grid-scale BESS projects. As a 780 MW / 3,074 MWh BESS, the project’s aim is to strengthen system reliability while accelerating decarbonisation outcomes in the electricity sector and energy-intensive industries. It will deliver significant grid stability, flexibility and firming to the power grid, enabling the optimisation of renewable energy production over the peak and off-peak times of the day especially when rooftop solar output in Queensland is at maximum output.

Solution

Supernode Stages 1 through 3 are directly connected to the high voltage grid via three dedicated connections and is co-located with the Torus dark fibre data cable and international subsea link, creating a powerful nexus of energy and digital infrastructure. Quinbrook has committed AUD 1.4 billion to develop the first three stages of battery storage, with future phases potentially expanding to over AUD 3 billion, including data centre capacity. The project has made significant progress over the year, and in October 2025 Stage 1 successfully connected to Queensland’s transmission network, marking the achievement of a key milestone towards full operations. Supernode Stage 1 is a 260 MW BESS with 619 MWh of installed capacity. Construction is ongoing for Stages 2 and 3, expected to be completed over 2026 and 2027 respectively. The project is engineered for long-term efficiency, leveraging renewable power, robust grid access, and low-latency digital. Through Supernode, Quinbrook has: connectivity – making Supernode a foundation asset in Australia’s energy transition and digital economy.

Through Supernode, Quinbrook has:

Delivered large-scale, dispatchable firming capacity
Strengthened grid reliability in a renewable-heavy system
Reduced reliance on fossil peaking generation
Enabled higher renewable penetration
Supported industrial and digital decarbonisation

As Australia continues to reshape its electricity system, battery storage will play an increasingly significant role in ensuring that decarbonisation does not come at the expense of reliability. Supernode illustrates how disciplined capital deployment into large-scale storage with thoughtful site selection can enhance system performance and accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon economy.