Jobs boost as Snowy Hydro and Equis to build $200m solar power plant near Tailem Bend
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’s largest solar farm — with capacity for battery storage back up — will be built at a cost of more than $200 million at Tailem Bend this year.
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA’s largest solar farm — with capacity for battery storage back up — will be built at a cost of more than $200 million at Tailem Bend this year.
The solar panels will be able generate power for 40,000 homes and help improve the state’s electricity supply while creating up to 200 jobs during construction, according to Snowy Hydro, which is building the farm in conjunction with renewable energy investor Equis.
The solar farm would generate up to 100 megawatts of energy and the almost 400,000 solar panels would cover 200 hectares, Snowy Hydro, which owns the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, said.
It added that the capacity for battery storage of up to 100 megawatts would also enhance energy security in the state.
The project also includes a diesel fuelled generator producing 28 megawatts to provide backup power during periods of peak demand.
Snowy Hydro said the site would be the “first large-scale battery ready facility we are aware of’’ in the state.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Snowy Hydro to source renewable generation in South
Australia to complement our existing capacity,” Snowy Hydro managing director
Paul Broad said.
“We have been keeping the lights on in NSW and Victoria since construction days in the
1950s and are one of the most experienced and diverse companies operating in the
National Electricity Market.’’
Mr Broad explained that the solar plant was designed to maximise the amount of electricity generated in the late afternoon, when demand for power was typically greatest.
“The solar farm represents a significant, strategic investment in South Australia by Snowy
Hydro and demonstrates our commitment to growing both our generation business and
our Lumo Energy business, which services around 50,000 electricity customers in the
State,’’ he said.
“We are pleased to be working with Equis to deliver more renewable energy to South
Australia, backed by reliable fast-start thermal capacity.
“Importantly, this unique generation facility at Tailem Bend is also ‘battery ready’ with the ability to install up to 100 megawatts of large-scale battery storage on the site.”
Mr Broad said construction would begin shortly, “subject to relevant approvals’’, and the solar power would be online from early 2018 with diesel to follow shortly after.
The Tailem Bend project will be located on land already owned by Snowy Hydro and would provide the company with access to 264 megawatts of generation capacity in the state.
The company already operates 136 megawatts of fossil fuel capacity at Port Stanvac and Angaston and will add a further 28 megawatts of diesel generation at the Tailem Bend site from 2017.
Snowy Hydro said the solar farm would help power an expansion of its retail business here.