Solar powers up at Australia’s biggest hybrid renewables park

The solar component of Australia’s largest wind and solar hybrid plant – to date – has started generating small amounts power, after achieving registration to the National Electricity Market from the Australian Energy Market Operator.

AEMO confirmed this week that the 77MW solar part of the 317MW Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park, or PAREP, was one of three new renewables project to be signed up for connection to the NEM since mid-July this year.

A burst of solar activity

Eagle-eyed RenewEconomy readers also clocked the occasion, noting a short burst of power from the project on October 4, as shown in the chart below from Paul McArdle at Global Roam.

The huge PAREP project, owned by Spanish renewable energy giant Iberdrola, is a combination of 217MW of wind and 110MW of solar, located not far from the location of the now closed coal fired generator in the same city.

The project kicked off exports from the 210MW wind component of the facility in April of this year, making its way through various “hold point” testing to work towards full generation.

South Australia powers ahead

As RenewEconomy has reported, the powering up of PAREP represents another big leap for South Australia towards its goal of “net 100 per cent renewables” by 2030. It is already at a world-leading share of wind and solar of around 64 per cent over the last 12 months, according to AEMO.

South Australia’s target is actually expected to be reached well before 2030, with the second stage of the Lincoln Gap wind farm well underway, along with the first 412MW wind stage of the massive Goyder South project near Robertstown.

Goyder South, owned by French renewables giant Neoen, will leapfrog the Port Augusta facility to become the biggest hybrid project should it fulfil plans to build up to 1200MW of wind, 600MW of solar and 900MW and 1800MWh of battery storage.

The two other projects to achieve registration to the NEM in this half-year so far, according to AEMO, include the West Wyalong Solar Farm in NSW (90MW) and the Kaban Wind Farm in Queensland (152MW).