Neoen to build tallest wind farm, solar and big battery to offer 24-hour power from Crystal Brook
Renewable power will be available anytime — whether or not the wind is blowing or the sun is shining — at a $500m project in SA’s Mid North. The French investment has been approved although not all local residents are happy.
A controversial, nation-leading renewable energy project in South Australia’s Mid North has been given development approval.
Neoen’s $500 million Crystal Brook Energy Park will provide “base load” 24-hour power to major industrial users from wind and solar generation backed by a massive battery.
About 50 families opposed the project, which will have the tallest wind turbines in the state, but its approval was welcomed by Energy and Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan.
“The combined solar farm, wind farm and grid-scale storage project is an exciting step towards getting the mix right in energy generation in SA,” he said.
The battery will have three times the capacity of the Tesla battery at Jamestown, the Hornsdale Power Reserve, which also is owned and operated by Neoen.
“There are three things we’re trying to do,” sai Neoen’s head of development in Australia Garth Heron.
“One is simply to keep the lights on. We’ve doing that with the Hornsdale Power Reserve and with a bigger battery here at Crystal Brook we’ll be able to do an even better job of that.
“Secondly, we’re looking to reduce the price of power for everybody in the state — in particular the big industrials so they can keep the jobs in the state.
“The third thing — and it’s the first time this has been attempted in Australia — is to provide around-the-clock power to a very large industrial user.
“We need to change the role of renewables from just providing power whenever we can to being able to provide firm 24-hour power.
“This project is really the first of its kind to offer that power service.”
Neoen aims to start construction in the second half of next year, creating 250 direct jobs and 400 associated jobs.
Once built, about 10 workers will run the facility which will last at least 25 years.
The development was considered by the State Commission Assessment Panel.
In consultation, more than 250 submissions were received, from an estimated 48 families and most opposing the project.
Some locals have rallied against the project, joined by SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros.
Neoen has made several adjustments and Mr Heron said the company was determined to work with local residents, most of whom were in support.
“We’re long-term owners, so we want to establish a really solid foundation between us and the local community,” he said.
“We have to earn the respect of the community and the only way we will achieve that is by having open and honest conversations with them, which we’ve been doing.”
The projects consists of a 125MW wind farm, 150MW solar farm and 130MW/400MWh lithium-ion battery.
The wind farm would have 26 turbines — reduced from the 54 first proposed — reaching 240m high. This would be 35m taller than the Port Pirie smelter smokestack.
No turbines will be sited north of Wilkins Hwy, in compliance with a request from Port Pirie Council.
A related 50MW hydrogen production facility on-site or at Port Pirie is being considered.
Neoen is listed on the Euronext Paris market and has about Euro2.6 billion in assets.
Mr Heron said Neoen would finance Crystal Park itself with a combination of its own equity and debt.
The turbines will be at least 3.65km from residences in Crystal Brook and 1.3km from the nearest dwelling, well beyond the government’s minimum buffers of 2km from a town and 1km from any homes.
While assessed under existing regulations, the setbacks would meet the State Planning Commission’s proposed increases for towns of 2km plus 10m per metre of turbine height above 150m and a minimum 1.2km from any home.
Neoen rejected suggestions the project would lower real estate values for its neighbours.
“Neoen is not aware of, and has not been presented with, any reliable, impartial research or evidence which establishes a correlation between real estate values and proximity to (properly sited) renewable infrastructure,” it said.
Neoen argued that while its project is within the Flinders Ranges, the land has been farmed for generations and is not native bush. It also consists of hills rather than the rugged mountains further north.
On birds, studies for Neoen found the diamond firetail and hooded robin — both of conservation significance — were in the area but “rarely, if ever” fly high enough to be in the path of a turbine’s blade.
Two wedge-tailed eagles’ nests had been found, one of which later collapsed in a storm, but the birds were rare in the area and “some studies have indicated they display adaptive behaviour in proximity to wind turbines”.
Other factors considered but answered by Neoen included noise, interference with mobile phone, radio or TV reception, tourism, health and aerial firefighting.