275MW solar-plus-wind-plus-storage superhub approved in South Australia

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
South Australia has long been a renewables leader. Source: Keith Miller, Flickr

A monster A$500 million wind-solar-battery facility capable of generating 275MW has been greenlit by the South Australian government.

French developer Neoen’s Crystal Brook Energy Park will include up to 150MW of solar, 130MW/400MWh of battery storage and 125MW of wind from 26 wind turbines.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The tallest of the turbines will reach 240 metres, six metres shy of the world record – a reality that has riled locals and stirred controversy around the site. In October, Neoen scaled back the project’s wind element by 25MW in response to community objections.

The company hopes to add 50MW of hydrogen production on-site or in a nearby town, depending on the outcome of a state-funded feasibility study and community consultation.

South Australia minister for energy and mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan said planning approval for Crystal Brook Energy Park was evidence of the district government’s determination to provide cheaper, cleaner and more reliable electricity for consumers.

Neoen Australia’s head of development Gareth Heron said in a release that the project “represented the next generation of clean energy” for the region.

“Changing the role of renewables from just providing power when available to providing firm power 24 hours a day is essential for long-term sustainability, and this project will the first of its kind to offer that type of power service in Australia,” he said.

Crystal Brook Energy Park will create 400 jobs during construction and 250 once commissioned. Construction will start in 12 months time.

Neoen claims to have invested more than A$1 billion (US$670 million) in the 980,000 square kilometre state of South Australia, which covers some of the most-arid parts of the country.

South Australia has long been a renewables leader in Australia. The state came first on the independent climate change communications body Climate Council’s renewables energy scorecard in 2018 alongside Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.

In June 2018, Van Holst Pellekaan said the state was on track to meet the previous Labor government’s target of 75% renewable energy by 2025.

More than one third of households in Queensland have rooftop solar, according to Climate Council

In Queensland, more than one-third of households now benefit from rooftop solar, according to a new report by the Climate Council.

The “sunshine state” boasts more jobs in the renewables sector than any other state or territory, at 5,000. Projects in the pipeline will soon deliver 4,500 more, while adding A$10 billion (US$6.7 billion) to the region’s economy, according to the report.

The Queensland government is aiming for one million rooftop solar installations, or 3,000MW of rooftop solar capacity, by 2020. It provides interest-free loans for households to install rooftop solar and home batteries.

Queensland currently has ten renewables projects under construction, totalling 974MW in capacity.

In July, a list of 10 proposed projects were shortlisted by the state government for 'Renewables 400,' a push to deploy 400MW of renewable energy generation capacity with 100MW of energy storage. The list includes five solar-plus-storage projects and three that integrate multiple generation sources. The shortlisted projects must now submit bids to state government-owned corporation CleanCo, which will manage the bidding process.

Queensland has set a net-zero emissions target for 2050 and a 50% renewables target by 2030. In 2018, 8.8% of its electricity was sourced from renewables.

The Climate Council report also noted that Queensland’s susceptibility to drought, bushfires, heatwaves, marine heatwaves, floods and tropical cyclones make it exceptionally vulnerable to the ravages of climate change. Between 2007 and 2016, the state shouldered 60% of the costs of extreme weather in Australia.

5 November 2024
10am GMT
FREE WEBINAR - Dr. Finlay Colville, Head of Research at PV-Tech, will revisit his two pivotal talks from the recent PV CellTech USA 2024 in the San Francisco Bay Area, offering an in-depth analysis of the PV manufacturing landscape. As the solar industry enters the Terawatt era, Dr. Colville will explore the technological advancements in recent years and what is set to unfold to the end of the decade.
17 June 2025
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 17-18 June 2025, will be our fourth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2026 and beyond.

Read Next

November 4, 2024
UK-based global renewables developer Lightsource bp has secured investment for two utility-scale PV projects in Texas, one of which is backed by a newly signed off-take deal with the clothing brand H&M.
November 4, 2024
The cases are being pursued against JinkoSolar, Canadian Solar, JA Solar, and Trinasolar, some of the world's largest PV manufacturers.
November 4, 2024
Swedish thin-film solar manufacturer Midsummer has inked a partnership with defence and security company Saab to deliver a 200MW turnkey solar cell factory in Thailand.
November 1, 2024
Chinese solar manufacturer Aiko Solar said yesterday (31 October) it has partnered with the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) to launch a US$4 million initiative aiming to achieve 30% efficiency with interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells.
November 1, 2024
Australia’s Clean Energy Council (CEC) has been named the product listing body for solar PV modules and inverters eligible under the Australian government’s ‘Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme’.
October 31, 2024
Figures in the Energy Technology Perspectives 2024 (ETP-24) report show the global market for renewables will triple over the next ten years.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 12, 2024
San Diego, USA
Solar Media Events, Upcoming Webinars
November 13, 2024
4pm GMT / 8am PST
Solar Media Events
November 20, 2024
Zhuhai, China
Solar Media Events
November 21, 2024
London, UK