First stage of Australia’s biggest wind, solar and battery project signs grid connection

French renewable energy and storage developer Neoen has signed a deal to connect the first stage of what will be the country’s biggest wind, solar and battery project, located in South Australia.

The agreement has been signed with the local transmission company ElectraNet, and will initially connect 209MW of the first 412MW wind stage of the Goyder South project.

It is expected that an agreement to cope with the rest of the planned capacity of the Goyder South first stage will be signed in coming months, but Neoen has plans to grow the site to up to 1200MW of wind, 600MW of solar, and a 900MW battery with two hours of storage, or more.

Goyder South has several key customers that will account for virtually all the output of the first stage of the project, including with the ACT government, retailer Flow Power, and a landmark “baseload” power deal with BHP to supply its giant Olympic Mine dam in South Australia.

That deal with BHP will be supported by a new big battery built closer to Adelaide at Blyth, and will comprise 300MW of capacity and up to 800MWh of storage.

“This is the first half of Stage 1 of the development for Neoen, connecting initially 209 MW of wind generation,” ElectraNet’s head of corporate development, Ashley Manna, said in a statement.

“A TCA (connection deal) for the second half is expected to be executed in the coming months for additional wind generation.

“Over time, Neoen have big plans for this site, including the potential to install a grid-scale battery as well as additional wind and solar generation. Construction of our connection assets is already well underway, with energisation expected in early-mid 2023.”

In South Australia, Neoen also operates the Hornsdale wind farms, built over three stages and totalling around 315MW, as well as the neighbouring Hornsdale Power Reserve, which was the world’s first “big battery” and has since been expended from its original dimensions.