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Australian Solar Farms in 2024 – An Overview

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Harnessing the Sun: Australia’s Solar Farms Set to Shine in 2024

As we continue our steadfast commitment to renewable energy, 2024 marks a pivotal year for Australia’s solar energy sector. With an increasing focus on sustainability and reduced carbon emissions, a host of groundbreaking solar farm projects are on the horizon. From vast expanses of desert to rolling farmlands, these projects are set to reshape Australia’s energy landscape and contribute significantly to the nation’s clean energy goals.

Bungala Solar Farm Expansion – South Australia

The Bungala Solar Farm, situated near Port Augusta in South Australia, is primed to undergo a significant expansion in 2024. This expansion will elevate Bungala’s status as one of the largest solar farms in the Southern Hemisphere. Once completed, the farm will cover an area of over 2,000 hectares, equivalent to more than 3,000 football fields.

The expansion will bring an additional capacity of around 300 megawatts (MW) to the grid, generating enough electricity to power tens of thousands of homes. The Bungala Solar Farm exemplifies Australia’s commitment to transforming its abundant sunlight into a clean and sustainable energy source, further contributing to the state’s renewable energy targets.

Sunraysia Solar Farm – New South Wales

In the heart of New South Wales, the Sunraysia Solar Farm is gearing up for its grand debut in 2024. This ambitious project, spanning approximately 2,000 hectares near Balranald, aims to generate a staggering 1,200 MW of solar power once fully operational. To put this into perspective, the energy produced will be equivalent to powering an estimated 500,000 homes.

The Sunraysia Solar Farm’s cutting-edge technology includes solar tracking systems that follow the sun’s trajectory throughout the day, maximizing energy capture. Such innovations underscore Australia’s determination to utilize the latest advancements in solar technology, driving the nation toward a more sustainable energy future.

Western Downs Green Power Hub – Queensland

Queensland, known for its sunny climate and vast landscapes, is set to host the Western Downs Green Power Hub. This monumental project, located near Chinchilla, is scheduled to commence operations in 2024. The solar farm, spanning over 1,600 hectares, will have an impressive capacity of around 500 MW.

What sets the Western Downs Green Power Hub apart is its integration of battery storage technology. This allows the farm to store excess energy during peak production hours and release it during periods of high demand, ensuring a more stable and reliable power supply. The integration of energy storage reflects Australia’s commitment to enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of renewable energy sources.

Yarrabee Solar Project – Victoria

In Victoria, the Yarrabee Solar Project is set to shine in 2024, contributing to the state’s renewable energy goals. This solar farm, located near the town of Echuca, will cover approximately 700 hectares and boast a capacity of around 250 MW. The Yarrabee Solar Project showcases how renewable energy projects can align with local communities, providing economic growth and employment opportunities.

What’s Next?

Australia’s solar farms scheduled for launch or expansion in 2024 are emblematic of the nation’s commitment to a more sustainable energy future. These projects not only harness the abundant solar resources that Australia is blessed with but also reflect a steadfast dedication to reducing carbon emissions and transitioning toward cleaner energy sources.

From the Bungala Solar Farm’s expansion in South Australia to the technological innovations of the Sunraysia Solar Farm in New South Wales, and the integration of energy storage at the Western Downs Green Power Hub in Queensland, these solar farms serve as beacons of progress. As the Yarrabee Solar Project emerges in Victoria, the ripple effect of these projects will undoubtedly extend beyond the energy sector, contributing to local economies and solidifying Australia’s role as a global leader in renewable energy innovation.

  1. Bungala Solar Farm – South Australia Website: Bungala Solar Farm
  2. Sunraysia Solar Farm – New South Wales Website: Sunraysia Solar Farm
  3. Western Downs Green Power Hub – Queensland Website: Western Downs Green Power Hub
  4. Yarrabee Solar Project – Victoria Website: Yarrabee Solar Project

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Darlington Point Solar Farm to receive 100MW battery

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The NSW based Darlington Point Solar Farm will receive a 100MW built adjacent to the facility as part of a $3.2b push from the NSW government to bolster energy storage alongside soaring solar panel install rates.

Darlington Point Solar Farm Battery

The Darlington Point Solar Farm commenced operations earlier this year so to have energy storage sitting alongside it will be a massive boon for everyone involved. According to Wikipedia the total output will be 333MW DC or 275MW AC, with Delta Energy having a PPA for 150MW.

Shell Energy and Edify Energy will work together over the next 10 years to build the 100MW battery – with Shell taking a half share of the Darlington Point battery, according to Greg Joiner, CEO of Shell.

“This long-term services agreement is a model for how large energy users can access dispatchable power like battery storage, which complements renewables, while contributing to a cleaner and more resilient power system,” Mr Joiner said.

Edify’s CEO John Cole was also understandably bullish about the situation:

“Energy storage is fast becoming a valued capacity solution for the National Electricity Market, given its fast and precise response,” Mr Cole said. “The uncertainties in this growing technology class are reducing and with it the barriers to acceptance from market and network participants.”

Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean put out a press release discussing the battery and NSW’s solar future plans:

“The NSW government is the second-biggest energy customer in the state, and we are using our purchasing power to leverage new dispatchable capacity to help power our schools, hospitals, traffic lights and tunnels,” Mr Kean said.

“This battery will help to keep the lights on and keep costs down during peak energy periods, and support more renewable energy to come online.”

With commercial solar power going from strength to strength in 2021 it’s heartening to see large-scale energy storage solutions growing at a somewhat commensurate rate. Should help us cut down on the ‘what do you do when the sun’s not shining’ naysayers!

Click here to learn more about the Darlington Point Solar Farm from Edify’s website!

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Berri Solar Farm to be sold by the Riverland Council

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The $25m Berri Solar Farm is going to be sold by the Riverland council for a firm to take over the development due to a customer pulling out of a PPA (Power Purchasing Agreement).

Berri Solar Farm to be sold by the Riverland Council

Chief Executive of Berri Barmera, Karyn Burton, said the catalyst for the decision to sell the Berri solar farm was due to a major client pulling out of a Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) due to being sold to another company. 

The farm was approved by the Riverland Regional Development Assessment Panel back in 2017 but construction work hasn’t commenced yet. The council also won a $5 million grant as part of the State Local Government Infrastructure Partnership for the build.

“That was in the mix until June, when they advised (the) council they were going to seek opportunities elsewhere,” Ms Burton said.

“They’d been taken over by a global group and they were looking at their energy needs on a global basis.”

Ms Burton continued to discuss the way the government would like to look at the 

“We’ll sell it as a shovel-ready project,” Ms Burton said.

“Councils are quite risk adverse – they won’t risk going into the market where prices for power fluctuate, not giving us that assurance that we’d cover that as a stand-alone business.

“Whereas there are other solar players out there would be able to do that.”

Mayor Peter Hunt said “despite putting in our best effort to deliver a great project for Council, Accolade Wines and the Community, the timing and justification to continue with the project was simply not right in the end. Accolade Wines was bought by new owners in 2018 and in terms of energy procurement and use, they are considering a number of options. We needed an answer and in this case they made it clear that they could not commit further to the project. The upside is we have fielded several enquiries to buy the project including lease rights to the old Racecourse site. We have expert advice that the project has strong commercial value and that is why we have decided to call for expressions of interest from parties seeking to buy the intellectual property and development rights.”

The council has called for expressions of interest in parties interested in buying the project, until September 27.

Read the article on the Berri Barmera Council website ‘Solar Farm Project to be Sold‘ if you’d like to learn more about the next steps for the Berri Solar Farm. 

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Cultana solar farm EPC services signed.

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The Cultana solar farm is one step closer to completion today – as Sanjay Gupta’s Simec Energy Australia securing an EPC partnership agreement with Shanghai Electric. Let’s take a look!

Cultana solar farm EPC services signed.

The 280W solar farm is located near the Wynalla Steelworks (also owned by Mr Gupta’s GFG Alliance under the name Liberty OneSteel), and will be built through Simec Energy, Gupta’s renewable arm which has a lofty goal of $1b spend in clean energy projects. The Cultana solar farm is set to cost $350m and represents the first stage of Simec Energy’s $1b plan.

“Cultana Solar Farm is an ambitious project that will deliver globally-competitive renewable energy on a large scale to power-heavy industry. It is a great step forward in our vision to revitalise industry and we look forward to working with our partners to bring our renewables projects to life,” Gupta was quoted as saying upon hearing the news.

“Our planned Next-Gen project will ignite a new industrial revolution in Australia. These projects are shining examples of GFG’s commitment to create a sustainable future for industry and build stronger local communities,” Mr. Gupta continued.

Last month we wrote about how the solar farm has been granted approval from the South Australian government despite an interesting objection Adania Renewables lodged against the application.

The basis of this program is up to 1GW of solar to be constructed in and around Whyalla, so more great news for South Australian  solar. Reid told the solar conference that the first step is an 80MW solar farm “behind the meter” near the Whyalla Steelworks, and after this they will install 200MW of grid connected solar on property owned by GFG Alliance.

According to RenewEconomy, the solar farm will include over 880,000 solar panels and they will be supplied by Wuxi Suntech.

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Cultana Solar Farm to go ahead

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The Cultana solar farm will go ahead, having received planning approval from the South Australian government. Let’s take a closer look at the project. 

Cultana Solar Farm to go ahead

The Cultana solart farm will be a 280MW solar farm being developed by Simec Zen Energy Australia. The project is set to commence construction within the next 12 months. It’ll be constructed on land next to the Whyalla Steelworks, who are currently expanding via Sanjeev Gupta and GFG Alliance (and who will undoubtedly need more power in the coming months and years). 

Sanjeev Gupta and GFG Alliance’s $1b fund to help support solar power in the Whyalla will be tapped for the Cultana project – despite some blowback from Adani Renewables who have bizarrely asked that the project be assessed by the Federal Department of the Environment under the EBPC Act. Adani have raised concerns about the potential impact on animals such as the threatened western grass wren and the slender-billed thornbill. They also discussed the problems with impact to Aboriginal heritage, dust, and traffic impacts. Seems strange given their own project will undoubtedly be scrutinized for the same reasons, but they must have a plan…

The project was signed off by SA Minister for Planning Stephan Knoll who put some restrictions on the approval. Simec have been asked to submit Environmental Management Plans for the construction and the operation phases of the Cultana Solar Farm. 

According to RenewEconomy, the $350M project will generate 600GWh of electricity per annum. This project is tipped to create 350 jobs during construction and 10 ongoing operations solar jobs after it’s completed. It’s expected to contribute savings of 492,000 tonnes of co2 emissions per year. 

Cultana (source: rowanramsey.com.au)

“There is a great future for energy‐intensive industries in Australia,” Sanjeev Gupta was quoted as saying. 

“This the first step in GFG leading the country’s industrial transition to more competitive energy.”

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