Origin seeks to build major portfolio of large scale solar plants

Origin Energy says it plans to build a major portfolio of large scale solar farms after its proposed 105MW Darling Downs solar farm in Queensland was named a winner in the Australian Australian Renewable Energy Agency large scale solar tender.

Origin will enter final negotiations to secure the $20 million offered to help fund the project, which is located 45km west of Dalby in south east Queensland and located next to its Darling Downs gas fired power station (pictured above). It is expected to begin construction in early 2017.

Once completed, Origin says Darling Downs Solar Farm will be the largest solar power plant in Australia, although it may have some competition from other proposed plants, such as the Genex solar-hybrid facility which could be 150MW when completed.

Frank Calabria, the company’s head of energy markets, said the ARENA program had been important in helping advance the utility scale solar industry in Australia.

“Origin is looking to develop a portfolio of potential large-scale solar sites and the construction of the Darling Downs Solar Farm may help to unlock these future developments and further our progress towards being Australia’s number one renewable energy provider.”

Darling Downs will be the first large scale solar plant Origin has built itself, although it has already contracted to buy the offtake of three other solar plants – these include the already completed 57MW Moree solar farm in NSW, the 100MW Clare solar farm in Queensland, and the 10.8MW Lakeland solar plus battery storage plant.

The company has previously indicated it sees a portfolio of around 1,000MW, given the falling cost of solar, its value in day-time production, and the requirements of the renewable energy target.

“Origin has long been preparing for a carbon-constrained future …,” Calabria said. “Our strategy of combining a focus on gas-fired generation with owned and contracted renewable energy helps meet our customers’ demand for cleaner electricity.”