Fourth huge solar and battery project approved for South Australia

Yet another large-scale solar and storage project has been given the green light for development in South Australia, with the state government granting approval on Friday to the 280MW Bungama project proposed by EPS Energy.

Bungama Solar, to be located just outside of Port Pirie, aims to pair 280MW of PV with 140MW/560MWh of battery storage, as part of EPS Energy’s 1GW+ pipeline of solar and storage projects being developed in the state.

This includes the Robertstown Solar project, which won state development approval just two weeks ago, to install 500MW of PV and a 250MW/1000MWh battery north-east of Adelaide.

Nearby, the Solar River project by Jason May and Richard Winter – which will instal 200MW of PV and “one of the largest” batteries in the Southern Hemisphere – landed a power purchase agreement with major utility, Alinta Energy, on Thursday.

Sanjeev Huptas GFG Alliance, of course, is also building the 280MW Cultana solar farm near Whyalla, with its own 135MW/100MWh battery storage also planned for near Port Augusta as well as a pumped hydro facility in the nearby Middleback Ranges.

All told, this will add more than 1GW of utility scale solar, and a significant amount of storage, propelling the state rapidly towards its target of “net” 100 per cent renewables by 2030, if not earlier.

EPS said on Friday that the Bungama project, like the Robertstown solar farm, had enjoyed an “extraordinary level” of community and government support.

“This planning approval has come on the back of the excellent community, local government and state government support that we have received for these projects,” EPS Energy director Steve McCall said.

“EPS Energy consider the portfolio along with other projects throughout the state as significant for South Australia to continue as a transitional world leader in renewable energy and storage solutions.”

EPS Energy also has a third South Australian project in the early stages of development – Yoorndoo Ilga, located near Whyalla.