ACEN Australia seeks approval for 600MW solar-plus-storage project in New South Wales

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Acen Australia owns a number of solar PV projects in NSW, such as the 936MWdc New England solar project (above). Image: ACEN Australia.

Renewable energy developer Acen Australia has submitted assessment documents for its 600MW Birriwa solar-plus-storage in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, through the Federal government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC).

The project is set to be developed on an area of approximately 1,200 hectares consisting of mostly cleared grazing land, about 20km southeast of Dunedoo, in the NSW Central-West Orana region, the location of one of the Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) being developed in the state. The REZ recently transitioned into the delivery phase, as reported by PV Tech.

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

Acen Australia said the project will incorporate a centralised battery energy storage system (BESS) of up to 600MW/1,200MWh for a 2-hour duration. This will enable excess electricity generated by the PV facilities to be captured and released during periods of high demand. The system will also provide grid stability services and backup capacity to ensure the security of supply.

According to documents observed on the EPBC website, the project will look to install approximately one million solar PV modules and associated mounting infrastructure. The site will also include an on-site substation with a connection voltage of up to 500kV.

Construction of the project, which will have an average workforce of 360 throughout the development phase, will last 28 months, with the construction of the BESS expected to take around 16 months. Throughout operations, a workforce of up to 20 people will be required.

The project’s location in NSW. Image: Acen Australia.

It is worth noting that the Birriwa solar-plus-storage project will be located next to two other solar projects developed by Acen Australia, as seen in the image above. These are the 400MW Stubbo solar PV project, at which construction began in November 2022, and the 320MW Narragamba solar project. These projects will connect to new transmission infrastructure developed by the Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo) as part of the Central-West Orana REZ.

Once the Birriwa solar project receives approval, it will be able to transition into the construction phase. It will connect to the Merotherie Energy Hub and the transmission line proposed by EnergyCo NSW.

Acen Australia’s growing pipeline

Readers of PV Tech will be aware that Acen Australia has been bolstering its solar PV pipeline in the country. In July, the organisation submitted a scoping report for its 100MW Cooma Solar and Battery project in NSW.

The scoping report, which represents the initial phase of the planning approvals process, has been submitted to the New South Wales Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

Last year, PV Tech also reported that Acen had started operating the first phase of its 936MWdc New England solar project in NSW. The project was granted formal registration to send power to the National Electricity Market (NEM) by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) in December 2022.

Read Next

June 20, 2025
Akuo has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Imerys to develop a solar power plant in Texas.
June 20, 2025
The Energy Corporation of New South Wales (EnergyCo) has confirmed that construction on Australia’s first Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) has started.
June 20, 2025
The Australian government has given the green light for a landowner-led 250MW solar-plus-storage project in Tasmania.
June 19, 2025
Norwegian energy company Statkraft has narrowed down its focus on fewer markets and technologies as it targets to reduce its expenses by NOK2.9 billion (US$290 million) annually by 2027.
June 19, 2025
Danish renewables firm European Energy has reached financial close on a 137MW utility-scale solar PV portfolio in Australia.
June 19, 2025
Australia-based solar PV module manufacturer Tindo Solar has inked a 15MW solar PV module supply agreement with Vietnam.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
July 2, 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico