Quinbrook advances plans for polysilicon production plant. Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners' plans to build a $10 billion polysilicon plant in Queensland to supply solar panel manufacturers have taken another step forward following the recent signing of an agreement with the local government authority. 24 Aug 2026 Quinbrook-owned project company Solquartz has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Townsville City Council to advance Australia's first integrated quartz-to-silicon manufacturing complex at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct in north Queensland. Australian-owned Quinbrook, through Solquartz, plans to build a state-of-the-art polysilicon manufacturing facility at Lansdown, powered by large-scale solar and battery energy storage projects it is developing nearby. The manufacturing facility is planned for the Lansdown industrial hub located about 40 kilometres south of Townsville. The purpose-built Northern Quartz Campus will source silica quartz from the north Queensland region and process it to produce higher-value silicon products for domestic and international markets, with the potential to support downstream manufacturing including polysilicon wafers for use in solar panels, semiconductors and other advanced technologies. Stage 1 of the project includes a 50,000tpa metallurgical silicon production facility, a biochar plant and about 550 MW of solar generation. It will also include the Supernode North battery energy storage system - a 780 MW system to be developed in stages. The council said the MOU establishes a pathway to finalise a project development and infrastructure agreement by the end of this year. The agreement would set out the council's infrastructure delivery obligations and Solquartz's contribution to infrastructure costs for the project's first stage. The first stage of the Northern Quartz Campus is expected to cost about $4.5 billion (USD 3.21 billion) with the entire project expected to cost an estimated of $8 billion. Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto said the new MOU is an important step in progressing the broader Lansdown development. "After years of planning and groundwork, Lansdown is moving from concept to construction, with Solquartz now a step closer to getting shovels in the ground," he said. The Northern Quartz Campus was declared a 'Prescribed Project' by the Queensland government in 2024 and was awarded Major Project Status by the Australian government in February 2026. The project is expected to commence commercial operations by 2030. In addition to progressing the polysilicon manufacturing facility at Lansdown, Quinbrook is also progressing its co-located Lansdown West and Noth solar farms, and the Supernode North battery project at the site. The solar farms are expected to deliver a combined 550 MW of PV generation while the Supernode North battery project is set to deliver 780 MW / 2,200 MWh of energy storage capacity. Quinbrook Senior Vice President Vignesh Bandi said the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct presents a unique opportunity to combine renewable energy generation and storage infrastructure with large scale manufacturing and critical mineral supply chains. "Our ambition for Lansdown extends beyond any single project," he said. "The Northern Quartz Campus, Supernode North and our renewable energy projects are complementary investments that can help establish Townsville and North Queensland as a hub for energy-intensive advanced manufacturing." "We see a compelling opportunity to combine Queensland's renewable energy and natural resources to build more of the value chain here at home and manufacture higher-value products for domestic and global markets." This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with PV Magazine Australia and would like to reuse some of its content, please contact: [email protected]. More about

CATL and Quinbrook build on Supernode partnership following Stage 2 and Stage 3 major milestones. Aug 15, 2026, 07:04 ET BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Quinbrook's Supernode battery energy storage project has completed Stage 2 commercial operation and reached financial close on A$469 million financing for Stage 3, marking a further milestone in the phased development of Australia's largest operational BESS campus. With planned capacity expected to exceed 3 GWh, Supernode is supported by CATL as its core energy storage system supplier for all three stages, providing advanced storage solutions and lifecycle support to enable reliable long-term operation. Located at Brendale, north of Brisbane, Supernode is adjacent to the South Pine substation, a key hub in the Queensland power system and the regional reference node for marginal loss factors (MLFs). This location provides a favourable MLF position and approximately 4,000MW of available connection capacity for phased expansion. The project's development coincides with Queensland's accelerating energy transition and the infrastructure investment cycle. Stage 3 has reached financial close on A$469 million in debt financing, bringing total project financing across Supernode Stages 1, 2 and 3 to approximately A$1.2 billion. Across its first three stages, Supernode is set to reach 780MW / 3,074MWh. Capacity across the three stages has been contracted under long-term offtake arrangements. The long-term value of such assets depends on the continued availability, operational efficiency, safety and reliability of their energy storage systems. CATL has provided EnerC Plus systems for Stages 1 and 2 and will supply TENER S systems for Stage 3, establishing a consistent technology platform across the campus. In close collaboration with Quinbrook, CATL has supported project-specific design optimisation to enable high-density deployment within the constraints of available industrial land. EnerC Plus supports back-to-back installation, reducing the required site footprint by approximately 20% compared with EnerC. Its integrated liquid-cooling system maintains an internal container temperature differential within 5°C and is designed to deliver reliable operation over a 20-year lifecycle. CATL's contribution extends beyond equipment supply. Under a Long-Term Service Agreement (LTSA), CATL will further support the full lifecycle of the energy storage asset through condition monitoring, performance tracking, fault response and preventive maintenance to help ensure reliable long-term operation. CATL's proven product performance, scalable delivery capabilities and lifecycle service model provide greater confidence in the long-term reliability and performance of the energy storage asset. Tim Hornemand, Managing Director and Regional Lead, Australia, at Quinbrook, said: "Achieving commercial operations for Stage 2 means we've successfully delivered both Origin-contracted stages on schedule, an outcome we're incredibly proud of given the complexity of commissioning utility-scale battery storage projects in Australia. With Stage 3 now fully financed, we've reached another important milestone in Supernode's continuing development. The ongoing support of our banking partners also reflects confidence in the Supernode project, our delivery track record and the long-term outlook for battery storage in Australia." Tan Libin, CCO and Co-President of Sales & Marketing at CATL, said: "Energy storage is evolving from a standalone technology deployment into a strategic energy asset. The next stage of industry development will depend not only on technological advancement, but also on the ability to create long-term value through collaboration, innovation and scalable deployment. At CATL, we are committed to working with partners to unlock the full potential of energy storage assets and support the transition toward a more flexible and resilient energy system." CATL and Quinbrook are also working together on EnerQB, an eight-hour battery storage solution being considered for future stages of the Supernode development. The initiative builds on CATL's role as energy storage system supplier across Supernode's first three stages. CATL will continue to work with partners worldwide to deliver reliable technologies, scalable solutions and lifecycle support. SOURCE CATL

CATL and Quinbrook build on Supernode partnership following Stage 2 and Stage 3 major milestones. licensing agreement August 15, 2026 BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Quinbrook's Supernode battery energy storage project has completed Stage 2 commercial operation and reached financial close on A$469 million financing for Stage 3, marking a further milestone in the phased development of Australia's largest operational BESS campus. With planned capacity expected to exceed 3 GWh, Supernode is supported by CATL as its core energy storage system supplier for all three stages, providing advanced storage solutions and lifecycle support to enable reliable long-term operation. Located at Brendale, north of Brisbane, Supernode is adjacent to the South Pine substation, a key hub in the Queensland power system and the regional reference node for marginal loss factors (MLFs). This location provides a favourable MLF position and approximately 4,000MW of available connection capacity for phased expansion. The project's development coincides with Queensland's accelerating energy transition and the infrastructure investment cycle. Stage 3 has reached financial close on A$469 million in debt financing, bringing total project financing across Supernode Stages 1, 2 and 3 to approximately A$1.2 billion. Across its first three stages, Supernode is set to reach 780MW / 3,074MWh. Capacity across the three stages has been contracted under long-term offtake arrangements. The long-term value of such assets depends on the continued availability, operational efficiency, safety and reliability of their energy storage systems. CATL has provided EnerC Plus systems for Stages 1 and 2 and will supply TENER S systems for Stage 3, establishing a consistent technology platform across the campus. In close collaboration with Quinbrook, CATL has supported project-specific design optimisation to enable high-density deployment within the constraints of available industrial land. EnerC Plus supports back-to-back installation, reducing the required site footprint by approximately 20% compared with EnerC. Its integrated liquid-cooling system maintains an internal container temperature differential within 5°C and is designed to deliver reliable operation over a 20-year lifecycle. CATL's contribution extends beyond equipment supply. Under a Long-Term Service Agreement (LTSA), CATL will further support the full lifecycle of the energy storage asset through condition monitoring, performance tracking, fault response and preventive maintenance to help ensure reliable long-term operation. CATL's proven product performance, scalable delivery capabilities and lifecycle service model provide greater confidence in the long-term reliability and performance of the energy storage asset. Tim Hornemand, Managing Director and Regional Lead, Australia, at Quinbrook, said: "Achieving commercial operations for Stage 2 means we've successfully delivered both Origin-contracted stages on schedule, an outcome we're incredibly proud of given the complexity of commissioning utility-scale battery storage projects in Australia. With Stage 3 now fully financed, we've reached another important milestone in Supernode's continuing development. The ongoing support of our banking partners also reflects confidence in the Supernode project, our delivery track record and the long-term outlook for battery storage in Australia." Tan Libin, CCO and Co-President of Sales & Marketing at CATL, said: "Energy storage is evolving from a standalone technology deployment into a strategic energy asset. The next stage of industry development will depend not only on technological advancement, but also on the ability to create long-term value through collaboration, innovation and scalable deployment. At CATL, we are committed to working with partners to unlock the full potential of energy storage assets and support the transition toward a more flexible and resilient energy system." CATL and Quinbrook are also working together on EnerQB, an eight-hour battery storage solution being considered for future stages of the Supernode development. The initiative builds on CATL's role as energy storage system supplier across Supernode's first three stages. CATL will continue to work with partners worldwide to deliver reliable technologies, scalable solutions and lifecycle support. AAPR aggregates press releases and media statements from around the world to assist its news partners with identifying and creating timely and relevant news. All of the press releases published on this website are third-party content and AAP was not involved in the creation of it. Read the full terms.