Australia’s biggest solar-battery hybrid project wins federal green tick to move to construction

Plans for what promises to be the biggest solar-battery hybrid project in Australia – at least for a time – can now go ahead, after being given environmental approval by the federal government, with no extra conditions.

Ark Energy’s Richmond Valley Solar Farm, proposed for Myrtle Creek near Casino in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, had been seeking a green tick from the federal government, having already secured state planning approvals and support through NSW Labor’s long duration storage tender.

Ark Energy now has full approvals to build the project, which is for solar up to 435 MW (ac) and a battery energy storage system (BESS) of up to 475 MW and 3,148 megawatt-hours (MWh).

Ark Energy had originally referred plans for assessment under the EPBC Act for 500 MW of solar and a 275 MW, 2,200 MWh (eight hour) BESS, but at the start of the month got the all clear to make some small but important adjustments.

As Renew Economy has reported, the headline change was the boost to the proposed installed power capacity of the project’s BESS, from 275 MW to 475 MW, which Ark Energy said was to improve the battery’s “interaction with the solar farm.”

The changes boosted the footprint for the proposed battery – from 5 hectares to 9 hectares – thanks to the addition of another 80 inverters, while the overall footprint of the solar farm was reduced by 14 hectares.

The adjustments to the solar component of the project included moving the fence line, the transmission connection point and – in response to the identification of certain plant species – changes to the layout of the panels.

Ark says it has already appointed Spanish company Elecnor as early works contractor to the Richmond Valley project, with work to begin early next year. The project will create 327 jobs during construction and up to 15 ongoing operational roles.

The project will also support the community with a proposed $11 million Voluntary Planning Agreement with Richmond Valley Council.

Ark Energy is the Australian renewable and storage developer offshoot of Korean Zinc and has been active building renewable sources for its smelter in north Queensland, and other projects around the country.

Richmond Valley is its second state-approved project in NSW and it is waiting for final approvals for the 335 MW first stage of the Bowmans Creek wind farm, to be located within the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone. That project won state planning approval last year from the Independent Planning Commission.

See Renew Economy’s Big Battery Storage Map of Australia for more information.

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