Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Townsville is a step closer to having a $2 billion lithium-ion battery factory creating hundreds of new jobs following the signing of an assistance agreement between the Queensland Government and an international consortium.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the agreement with Imperium 3 – an international joint venture led by Boston Energy and Innovation, Magnis Resources and Charge CCCV LLC – follows on from her Government’s election commitment last year to provide up to $3.1 million for a feasibility study into this project.
“The signing is great news for Townsville, and Queensland as a whole, as it means we are one step closer to making this facility a reality, she says. “I was in Boston in June this year at the BIO International Convention, as part of my trade delegation to the United States, where I observed the signing of a recommitment between Townsville City Council and Imperium 3 should the lithium-ion battery project progress to construction.
“In line with our Advance Queensland agenda, we are determined to make the most of the opportunities for the future, and by assisting to progress the feasibility study of this project we hope to leverage considerable private sector investment into regional Queensland.”
Battery storage solutions are fundamental to making renewable energy reliable,” Palaszczuk says.
State development, manufacturing, infrastructure and planning minister Cameron Dick says a senior team from his department had worked with Imperium 3 to finalise the assistance agreement to support the delivery of the feasibility study for the project.
“The feasibility study is a key requirement for attracting the next stage of funding and is expected to be completed next year,” he says.
He expects Imperium 3 will make the final investment decision by mid-2020.
The Imperium 3 consortium has a project in New York that is more advanced and is providing a pathway for the Townsville project.
