New solar project in Victoria lands off-take deal with Japanese owned retailer

Enel Green Power Australia has signed a long term off-take agreement with the Japanese owned retailer SmartestEnergy for its 93 MW Girgarre solar project in Victoria.

The $140 million Girgarre solar project is located around 10 kms north-west of Stanhope and about 50kms west of Shepparton and is due to come on line in 2025. It held its “sod turning” event in September, and the project has an anticipated life span of 35 years.

SmartestEnergy is wholly owned by Japanese industrial giant Marubeni, while Enel Green Power is now half owned by Japanese company Inpex after it bought a 50 per cent stake in the company from the Italian parent for $328 million in the middle of the year.

SmartestEnergy and has previously signed an off take take with Greek-owned Mytilineos for the 40 MW Kingaroy solar farm in Queensland, and signed a contract to help manage the transition to 100 per cent renewables for retailing giant Woolworths in NSW and the ACT.

“This isn’t just business; it’s a brighter, cleaner, net zero future we’re building for all,” Robert Owens, the CEO of SmartestEnergy Australia, said in a statement.

“We are incredibly pleased that construction activities for the project are now underway,”said Werther Esposito, the CEO for Enel Green Power Australia.

“We would like to sincerely thank the local community, including the local Campaspe Shire Council, Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, amongst other valued local stakeholders, for their support of the project to date.”

Enel Green Power Australia owns the Bungala solar farms (total 220 MW ac) in South Australia and the 27 MW (ac) Cohuna solar farm in Victoria, and is also building the Flat Rocks wind farm in Western Australia, which has a supply deal with BHP’s nickel operations in that state.

It is understood that the solar PPA is not for all of the output of Girgarre, but it does include LGCs. Beon is the EPC contractor, while the main suppliers are Longi (modules), Ingeteam (inverters) and Nextracker (trackers).