SmartestEnergy Australia pens PPA for Neoen-owned 440MW New South Wales solar PV project

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The 440 Culcairn solar farm is the company’s second largest project worldwide. Image: Neoen.

French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen has inked a four-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with energy retailer SmartestEnergy Australia for 50% of the energy generated from the 440MW Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales.

The PPA will commence in 2026, once the project becomes operational, and will support SmartestEnergy in meeting the growing demand for renewable energy solutions from commercial and industrial businesses in the state.

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

Culcairn Solar Farm is approximately 45km north of Albury and 70km south of Wagga Wagga. It will have an operational lifespan of 30 years and could include a 100MW/200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). It will connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM) via an on-site 330kV transmission line managed by TransGrid.

Neoen secured development consent from the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for Culcairn in March 2021, despite receiving 50 complaints from members of the public. At the time it was predicted that the project would cost around A$636 million (US$427 million) to develop.

The solar PV project is being developed and will be owned by Neoen. It is the company’s second-largest solar farm globally, after the 460MW solar PV project at Western Downs Green Power Hub, which is already in operation in Queensland.

Robert Owens, CEO of SmartestEnergy Australia, said the PPA will help the company continue in playing its part in the energy transition in Australia whilst capitalising on the increasing demand for renewable energy solutions.

“This agreement with Neoen underscores our purpose in the market to support the renewable energy transition. By partnering with Neoen, we continue to provide renewable energy solutions for our customers, and we can play our part in ensuring that the transition in Australia keeps pace,” Owens said.

SmartestEnergy Australia bolsters renewable energy offering via PPAs

SmartestEnergy Australia has been increasing its renewable energy offering through the execution of PPAs. Indeed, at the end of 2023, the company signed a PPA with Enel Green Power Australia, to source energy from the 93MW Girgarre Solar Farm in Victoria, with an annual electricity production capacity of 200GWh.

Earlier in the same year, SmartestEnergy Australia signed another PPA with Greek firm Mytilineos for its 40MW Kingaroy solar farm in Queensland. Mytilineos said that SmartestEnergy would purchase “a substantial portion of the solar farm’s electricity output over a long-term period”.

SmartestEnergy Australia also signed a long-term PPA in January 2023 with renewable energy project owner Octopus Group to offtake 25% of generation from a solar PV project to offer commercial and industrial companies renewable energy. Based in New South Wales, the 333MW Darlington Point Solar Farm was commissioned in 2020.

Read Next

July 22, 2025
Canadian energy firm Enbridge will build a 600MW solar PV project in Texas with a power purchase agreement (PPA) in place with social media giant Meta.
July 22, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra  has begun commercial operations at its 435MWdc Gorbea solar project in the state of Rajasthan, India. 
July 22, 2025
AEMO has reported a record-breaking surge in new renewable energy generation and storage assets reaching full operation within the NEM.
July 21, 2025
US solar project developer Primergy Solar has started commercial operations at its 408MWac Ash Creek Solar project in Hill County, Texas.
July 21, 2025
Enfinity Global has sold a 49% equity interest in its 402MW portfolio of solar plants in Italy to the SOFAZ.
July 21, 2025
The Queensland government has continued to crack down on renewable energy projects by enshrining new planning rules for solar PV into law, which strengthen social licence requirements.

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