Venn Energy, a renewable energy developer, has seen its 500MW Cooba solar-plus-storage site selected for inclusion in Victoria’s Development Facilitation Program (DFP) scheme in Australia.
The project, which is expected to be operational in 2027, is located in Colbinabbin, a small rural town in Central Victoria. Due to the abundance of red volcanic soil in the nearby Mount Camel Range, Colbinabbin and the surrounding areas have recently become a hotspot for vineyards.
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The solar PV power plant is set to be located on a 1,147-hectare site 4km south of Colbinabbin, taking up around 665 hectares of this site. If approved, the project will be operational from 2027 and have a 30-year lifespan. It will be connected to the National Electricity Market (NEM).
According to Venn Energy, the site has been selected for numerous reasons, including “excellent” solar exposure and easy connectivity to the grid thanks to an existing transmission line.
The size of the BESS will be 300MW, with the duration to be decided by the developer.
Like the Dederang BESS, the local council, Campaspe Shire, has previously opposed the renewable energy project.
The Victoria government’s DFP initiative, which was expanded last year to include renewable energy projects, aims to speed up the development of critical infrastructure projects in Victoria.
The project proponents had to consult with neighbouring property owners and relevant government agencies, including the Country Fire Authority, Agriculture Victoria, the state’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and local water authorities.
Over the past few months, the government has selected several energy storage and solar PV power plants for inclusion in the scheme. In April 2025, Elgin Energy’s 330MW Barwon Solar Farm, a solar-plus-storage site, had been selected for the initiative. The project is also located in the Little River region of Victoria.
You can read the full article on our sister site Energy-Storage.news.
