Australia’s largest solar farm inks major new deals to power aged care and beer

New England Solar, a 400MW project that currently shares the title of Australia’s largest operational solar farm, will soon help to power residential aged care and the production of iconic beer brands Great Northern and Victoria Bitter, as part of new energy offtake deals.

The New England Solar farm’s 400MW stage 1 is in operation and supplying electricity to New South Wales and Queensland, while a further 320MW of solar and 200MW/2-hour battery are under construction by its developer, Acen Australia. It also hosts several thousand sheep – mainly merinos and other cross breeds.

In deals brokered by Flow Power, the huge project near Uralla in New South Wales will now sell power to Asahi Beverages – 30,000 megawatt hours (MWh) a year starting in 2025.

This means New England solar will help power production of some of Australia’s most iconic drinks, including Great Northern beer, Victoria Bitter beer, Schweppes soft drinks and Solo.

In a separate deal, leading aged care and community services provider, BaptistCare, has signed two PPAs with Flow Power, one of which is linked with New England Solar and will start in 2025.

The ten-year BapistCare solar-and-wind PPA will source an estimated 15,000 MWh a year, allowing the company to reduce the carbon footprint of its NSW and ACT operations by 70%, and help it shift to net zero no later than 2050.

The the first phase of the 720MW New England solar farm was completed in March 2023 on the lands of the Anaiwan and Gumbaynggirr people. Alongside the extra 320MW of generating capacity, developer Acen Energy also has plans to add up to 400MWh of battery storage to the huge PV project.

The signing of the major new PPAs validates Acen’s decision to build the project on a fully merchant basis to ensure it was online in time to help replace closing coal fired power stations in NSW.

“We wanted to get things built, to decarbonise Australia,” Acen Australia CEO Anton Rohner said back March when the project was completed.

The mission to fast-track the company’s 8GW Australian pipeline of solar, wind, battery and pumped hydro was boosted late last year by a debt raise of up to $600 million, into which the federal government’s green bank tipped $75 million.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation invested in the debt raising round alongside a $A140 million green loan agreement with Japan’s MUFG and a $A100 million facility with DBS Bank.

Acen Australia managing director David Pollington says the deal with Flow Power marks another milestone for the company’s inaugural project.

“We have a bold strategy to help Australia transition to a clean energy future, and we are excited by this offtake with Flow Power, enabling us to bring more renewable energy projects to life and clean electricity for Australian homes and businesses,” Pollington said.

Flow Power COO Byron Serjeantson says it is “only fitting” to link Asahi and BaptistCare to New England Solar – “a project that has raised the bar for strong community engagement and support, including host landowners and First Nations communities.”

Kirsten Sturzaker, Asahi Beverages group head of sustainability, says the deal helps the brewing giant secure a long-term clean energy supply for its customers and consumers.

“Victoria Bitter is already brewed with 100% offset solar energy and we look forward to all our brands soon being made in similar ways,” Sturzaker said.

“We have a broad sustainability agenda, from energy to packaging and more, and we raise a glass to the important role New England Solar plays in this.”

BaptistCare’s head of strategy and investments, Thomas Griffiths, says the new PPA, paired with other of the company’s initiatives, adds to its commitment to caring for people and planet.

“In addition to sustainability benefits, the project also delivers cost certainty and strong business outcomes, and we encourage others in the sector to actively consider how they can also play a role in accelerating this renewables transition,” Thomas says.