Jacana Energy contracts 45MW of solar PV in the Northern Territory, Australia

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The Northern Territory government recently scrapped its 50% renewables by 2030 target. Image: The Northern Territory government.

Government-owned electricity retailer Jacana Energy has contracted 45MW of solar PV from utility-scale projects in the Northern Territory, Australia.

This solar PV will be sourced from the Katherine, Batchelor, and Manton Dam solar PV power plants, which are owned by Eni Plenitude, a subsidiary of the Italian multinational energy company Eni.

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 Katherine solar PV plant has an installed capacity of 34MW and a co-located 6MW battery energy storage system (BESS). In 2019, the project represented Eni’s first venture into the Australian renewable energy market.

Eni further expanded its presence by acquiring the Batchelor and Manton Dam solar PV power plants in late 2019. These plants, which have a generation capacity of 12.5MW and were completed in 2020, were completed in 2020.

 Jacana Energy CEO Rod Hayes said the contracts will increase the share of renewables in the energy mix at a larger scale than previously seen in the Territory.

“At Jacana Energy, we’re about leading smart energy solutions for the Territory. New sources of energy, including renewables, must be brought into the mix where it makes sense,” Hayes said.

“We’re focused on lowering the total costs of the energy system. We’re grateful to Plenitude for their patience under challenging circumstances, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”

Jacana’s move to secure solar PV energy will likely be welcomed by the broader energy industry in the Northern Territory, as the technology is regarded as one of the cheapest forms of energy generation.

It will also be welcome as a positive spin on the renewable energy transition in the Territory following a turbulent start to the year. Indeed, earlier this year, the Northern Territory government confirmed it would be scrapping the region’s 50% renewables by 2030 target, deeming it “reckless”.

However, solar PV will continue to play an integral role in decarbonising the Territory and ensuring low-cost bills for households and businesses.

For instance, the government is supporting the development of the AU$400 million (US$258 million) Darwin Renewable Energy Hub, which would connect directly to the Darwin-Katherine grid.

The hub involves co-locating up to six large-scale solar PV power plants, capable of generating 180-210MW of renewable energy, alongside a BESS on a single site near existing network infrastructure. The size of the BESS has not been disclosed.

Read Next

July 16, 2025
Supply-demand imbalances and inventory pressures have driven down prices and negatively impacted the operational performance of several listed Chinese PV companies that released their 2025 interim forecasts this week.
July 16, 2025
IPP Cero Generation and developer Enso Energy have reached financial close on a 360MW solar-plus-storage portfolio of projects in the UK.
July 16, 2025
Planning uncertainty and policy instability regarding renewables in Queensland have seen it slip in investment attractiveness, with New South Wales now leading Australia.
July 16, 2025
The New South Wales government has announced AU$26.2 million in funding for several Australian solar PV and battery initiatives.
July 15, 2025
Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has announced plans to run four new Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tenders by the end of 2025.
July 15, 2025
Malaysian utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad has officially launched a floating solar pilot project, which could help unlock 2.2GW of generation capacity.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK