According to a statement by the Queensland Government, Australia’s largest solar farm under construction has reached a significant milestone as it is now capable of exporting over 100MW of clean energy into the nation’s electricity grid.
Once completed, the Western Downs Green Power Hub (WDGPH) will add 400MW of renewable energy to the grid, with CleanCo, a Queensland Government-owned energy generator and retailer, committing to take 320MW.
Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said Queensland’s energy transformation is the greatest job opportunity in a generation.
“In an important boost for our regional communities, this project has already delivered more than 450 construction jobs,” Minister de Brenni stated,
According to Minister de Brenni, they’re also putting downward pressure on future electricity prices by developing more low-cost energy made from Queensland’s abundant natural resources. He added billions of dollars would be returned to Queenslanders’ pockets due to Queensland’s energy network being publicly owned.
The $600 million solar farm built by Neoen is nearing completion, with testing underway in partnership with Powerlink and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
Powerlink completed connection works for the project late last year, including adding six kilometres of new transmission line and associated works at Powerlink’s existing Western Downs Substation.
According to Neoen Australia’s Managing Director Louis de Sambucy, the team is working on completing the project as soon as possible and ramping up capacity in collaboration with Powerlink and AEMO.
CleanCo Board Chair Jacqui Walters said the Power Purchase Agreement the company has for the solar farm would be used to aid commercial and industrial customers to push through with their net zero goals and establish their global competitiveness with competitively-priced energy.
“CleanCo has committed to bringing 1,400MW of new renewable energy into the market by 2025 and projects like the Western Downs Green Power Hub are underpinning that, so it’s very exciting to see the project coming to completion,” Walters stated.
Powerlink Chief Executive Paul Simshauser said the company was proud to play a critical role in providing the necessary transmission infrastructure to connect Australia’s largest solar farm to the electricity grid.
The Western Downs Green Power Hub will produce over 1,080 GWh per year, the equivalent of avoiding 864,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
