australia – Renewable Brief

Neoen developing 440 MWp solar farm in NSW, Australia

Header image courtesy of Neoen

New South Wales in Australia is adding 440 MWp solar capacity through Neoen, which has signaled the beginning of the farm’s construction, as reported by ReNews. The project, known as the Culcairn Solar Farm, is located in Wiradjuri country and will come online in 2026.

The solar farm will be among the largest in NSW and incorporate a 100 MW battery storage component at a later date. It will be Neoen’s second largest globally, after the 460 MWp Western Downs Green Power Hub solar farm in Queensland.

While the majority of the power from Culcairn will be sold on a PPA basis, it will power 160,000 homes. The construction will create more than 400 employment positions, with seven full-time employees needed to keep it running.

Neoen is targeting 10 GW solar capacity in Australia by 2030. It increased its portfolio in the Down Under by 25% to 3.75 GW this year alone.

Neoen Australia chief executive Louis de Sambucy said, “Culcairn is an essential project for Neoen in NSW and in Australia, and we are proud to have been awarded an LTESA contract.

“We have developed a strong pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects in NSW designed to help accelerate the State’s energy transition, as it moves towards halving emissions by 2030.”

Major renewable energy news this week

Header image courtesy of Lloyd Thornton/Shutterstock

Amprion starts on 8 GW offshore power link in Germany

Germany’s transmission system operator Amprion has begun planning the Windader West energy corridor, which will connect up to 8GW of offshore wind energy to the North Rhine-Westphalia state. The first 2 GW connection is expected in 2032.

Kenya Power solicits bids for boosting rural electricity with solar mini-grids

Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has called for bids for setting up solar power mini-grids in several counties, representing 20 percent of its population and 72 percent of its land area. The contract covers seven years of operation and maintenance by the successful bidders.

DP Energy and SBM planning 400 MW floating wind farm for Nova Scotia, Canada

DP Energy and SMB have formed a joint venture named Nova East Wind to build a 400 MW floating offshore wind farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. The development will be located about 30 km off Goldboro, although the precise location is yet to be determined.

Solar drives renewable investment to $358 billion in H1 2023

Global investment in renewable energy soared to $358 billion in the first half of 2023, according to BloombergNEF. This was driven by solar investment in China, thanks to cheaper PV modules and a growing rooftop PV market.

Consortium planning 5 GW wind farm for Australia

Elanora Offshore, a consortium of KIMAenergy, Energy Australia, Boskalis, Respect Energy, and Polpo Investments, will build a 5 GW wind farm off Gippsland in Victoria, Australia. Funding has already been secured for the project, with a targeted completion for the first phase in 2032. The farm will supply 40 percent of Victoria’s energy needs.

Australian Aboriginal group teams up with Philippine company ACEN on 3 GW renewable energy

Header image courtesy of Lloyd Thornton/Shutterstock

Australia’s Aboriginal group Yindjibarndi has entered into an agreement with Philippine energy firm ACEN on a massive renewable energy project in the iron ore mining region of Western Australia. As reported by Reuters, the project will generate up to 3 GW from land belonging to the community.

The first phase will produce 750 MW from a combination of wind and solar energy and battery energy storage. The projected cost stands at A$1 billion (US$682 million).

The Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corp (YAC) will own an equity stake of 25%-50% in any project and approve construction on the Yindjibarndi Ngurra, where the tribe exercises native title rights. Native titles recognize the rights of the indigenous people of Australia to control some parcels of land.

In addition to part ownership, businesses owned by the Yindjibarndi people would have preferred bidding rights for contracts, while members of the community would receive free training with job opportunities.

ACEN is a subsidiary of the Ayala Group which plans to expand its renewable energy capacity from 4.4 GW to 20 GW by 2030. The partnership with the Yindjibarndi group has been named the Yindjibarndi Energy Corp (YEC).

YAC Chief Executive Michael Woodley said, “The agreement with ACEN means that the Yindjibarndi people can actively participate in Australia’s renewable energy transition in a significant way that provides long-term economic benefits to our community.”

Turbine installation commences on 756 MW Victoria wind farm

Header image courtesy of Vestas

The Golden Plains Wind Farm in Victoria has reached another milestone as it commences the installation of turbines, as reported by Renewables Now. When completed, the 122-turbine plant will be the largest wind farm in Australia.

Total output from the TagEnergy-owned farm is 756 MW, with plans for a 300 MW battery energy storage solution. Production is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2025.

The first phase of the Golden Plains Wind Farm will cost $1.33 billion, with the completed project expected to generate 1.3 GW with a total of 215 turbines, or enough to satisfy 9% of Victoria’s energy needs, about 765,000 homes. The second stage is planned to kick off in early 2024. TagEnergy will use Vestas Wind Systems’ V162-6.2 MW wind turbines designed for low to medium wind sites. With a swept area of over 20,000m², the V162-6.2 MW™ applies the largest rotor size in the Vestas’ portfolio to achieve industry-leading energy production paired with a high capacity factor.

Major renewable energy news you might have missed this week

Header image courtesy of Philip Gostelow

AngloGold Ashanti to power gold mine with renewable energy

AngloGold Ashanti Australia will build one of Australia’s largest renewable energy projects in the natural resources sector. The project will power the company’s Tropicana Gold Mine, consisting of a 50 MW solar farm and an 18 MW battery energy storage system. The development will cut the mine’s carbon emissions by 160,000 t annually.

The UK government defends green levies on energy bills; will bring down future costs

After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the UK government is bringing back green levies on energy bills. The levies will add £170 per year to the average bill.

Down Street insists the levies will bring down energy bills over time by stimulating renewable energy investments.

Noria Energy launches largest floating solar project in South America

Noria Energy has launched a new solar power system that floats on the Urra Dam reservoir in Colombia. The 1.5 MW solar development will demonstrate that hydroelectric dams with fluctuating water levels can be paired with a floating solar generation to enhance energy reliability and boost production.

Africa REN secures € 32 million funding for the first battery storage project in West Africa

Africa REN has announced it has secured funding for the first battery storage project in West Africa. The project is located in Senegal and funded by the Dutch development bank FMO and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF).

BlackRock secures $500 million to build Australia’s biggest battery

BlackRock, the world’s biggest fund manager, has raised more than $500 million from co-investors to build the largest grid-scale battery project in the southern hemisphere in Australia, with 850 MW and 1680 MWh of capacity. The Waratah Super battery in NSW will help drive Australia’s transition to a low-carbon economy.