Global solar developer Lightsource bp and Acen Australia have seen each of their respective solar-plus-storage projects in New South Wales, Australia, totalling 550MW of generation capacity, progress.
Our colleagues at PV Tech reported yesterday that Lumea, the commercial arm of Australian transmission system operator Transgrid, is set to connect one of New South Wales’ largest solar PV power plants, the 450MW Goulburn River solar-plus-storage site, to the National Electricity Market (NEM).
On the same day, it was reported that renewable energy developer Acen Australia is seeking Federal government approval for its 100MW Cooma solar-plus-storage project in New South Wales.
The developer is seeking approval through Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
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Lumea to connect 450MW solar PV plant in New South Wales, Australia
Lightsource bp has contracted Lumea to connect its 450MW Goulburn River solar-plus-storage project to the NEM. The site, being built by DT Infrastructure (DTI), entered the construction phase on 16 December after receiving development consent from the Australian government in early October.
Lumea will carry out several installations to connect the solar PV project near Merriwa in the Upper Hunter to the NEM. This includes a 500kV transmission line cut-in, a 500kV switching station, a 500kV substation, and associated works.
The project is expected to be operational by the end of 2026, with its plans including the installation of an on-site 49MW/392MWh BESS with an 8-hour duration.
Lightsource bp, which was fully acquired by its oil and gas major counterpart bp in late October, has a global portfolio spanning 19 countries and 62GW of projects in development. The largest of these is the 560MW Enipeas project in Greece.
Acen Australia seeks EPBC approval for 100MW solar-plus-storage site in New South Wales
Acen Australia has submitted its 100MW Cooma solar-plus-storage project to the EPBC queue, which the Australian government administers. It is designed to protect nationally threatened species and ecological communities, and approval must be received before a project can be developed.
Acen Australia intends to develop a 180MW/360MWh BESS with a duration of 2-hours co-located with the solar PV power plant. Planning documents outline that the BESS units will be around 3.5m high and feature an active gas-fired fire protection system.
The solar PV power plant element of the proposal will see around 200,000 solar PV modules installed using a single-axis tracker racking system. It is worth noting that Acen Australia has yet to finalise the project’s sizing and number of PV modules and inverters. The project’s plan will incorporate space for sheep to graze under the modules.
The project’s operational lifespan is 30 years, with the potential for upgrades, including repowering the plant. The project area stands at 290 hectares. A scoping report for the project was submitted in July 2024.
Construction of the project is scheduled for 2027, subject to securing the necessary approvals in time. Acen revealed in its scoping report that the estimated development cost of the project has not yet been determined.
These stories appeared as separate items on PV Tech, our solar PV technology website. Read the originals here:
Lumea to connect 450MW solar PV plant in New South Wales, Australia
Acen Australia seeks EPBC approval for 100MW solar-plus-storage site in New South Wales
