Global renewables investor Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has gained council planning and Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approvals for its Supernode complex in Brendale, Moreton Bay.
The Supernode project is a key component of the company’s APAC Green Data strategy which develops and constructs renewable energy solutions for green data centres.
Acting Premier and State Development Minister Steven Miles said the project plans to bring large-scale storage facilities for both data and battery energy to the one site.
“This is one of the major new economy projects coming to Queensland thanks to the government’s strategic investment in digital technology infrastructure and renewable energy,” Miles said.
“We provided $15 million to support the Sunshine Coast Council in delivering Queensland’s first direct International Broadband Network Cable Landing Station and we are seeing the benefits of that investment.
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“The digital technology industry can now leverage the speed of the Sunshine Coast’s new international undersea fibre optic connection for uses such as efficient, large-scale data storage.
“The Supernode also plans to leverage the excellent access Brendale has to the adjacent South Pine electricity substation for a battery-energy storage project that will assist the region’s energy resilience.”
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners Managing Partner, David Scaysbrook said the Supernode had the potential to be a $2.5 billion-plus investment, developed in stages on a 30-hectare site.
“South East Queensland’s imminent and direct access to fast global connectivity through Maroochydore to the Pacific makes it an excellent location for our large-scale data storage facility,” Scaysbrook said.
“Our Supernode site at Brendale in Moreton Bay is also an unrivalled location for power supply resilience due to its access to three independent high voltage connections forming the major power transmission node for Queensland at South Pine substation.
“It also offers ample scope for powering our large-scale batteries with locally produced solar, wind and hydro sourced renewables which will also power the data centre campus as it grows.”
Quinbrook has commenced the marketing of Supernode to prospective data centre operators and has lodged applications to enable construction to commence in mid-2023 on the battery storage infrastructure.