Victoria fast-tracks approval of major solar battery hybrid project, and new big battery in Latrobe Valley

The Victoria government says it has fast-tracked approval for another two major renewable energy projects, including a large solar-battery hybrid and a major expansion of the first battery to be built in the state’s coal heartland.

The approvals were announced on Saturday and include the Meadow Creek solar farm, near Wangaratta, which will combine a 332 MW solar facility with a 250 MW, 1,000 MWh battery.

The other project is a 300 MW, 1,200 MWh Tramway Roads battery owned by Eku Energy, which will be built next to the existing substation, not far from the 150 MW, 150 MWh Hazelwood battery that was built at the site of the shuttered brown coal generator, and was the first big battery to be built in the Latrobe Valley.

The $750 million Meadow Creek project is owned by a local farming facility and will be built by US-baed Energy Vault, which initially made a name for itself as a promoter of gravity based storage, but which has since turned to more conventional solar and lithium ion battery technologies.

Energy Vault is also developing the 125 MW, 1000 MWh Stoney Creek battery project near Narrabri in NSW, which it bought earlier this year from Enervest.

Meadow Creek says it spent two years in consultations with the local community, including the traditional owners, the Taungurung people.

The project has been contentious, raising the ire of many locals amid concerns about fire risk, water management and visual impact, but the company says it has addressed concerns about setbacks, waterways and construction management.

It says it is still consulting stakeholders on a community benefits scheme to reinvest a portion of the project’s returns locally.

“We’re also committed to delivering direct benefits to the nearest community, including reinvesting a portion of the project’s returns locally,” said Cameron Munro, the development director of the Meadow Creek solar farm.

Meadow Creek is one of a number of solar battery hybrid projects that are taking the lead in the renewable energy stakes, given the cost increases and planning issues facing wind energy projects.

Australia’s main grid has not yet seen any large scale solar battery hybrids (where the solar and battery share the same connection point, and stored solar is fed into the grid in the evening peaks, or whenever a customer wants), but two are already under construction and more than a dozen more have won state and federal contracts.

Eku Energy says that, subject to ongoing grid connection and procurement activities, construction of the Tramway Road BESS could commence by late 2026 with operations commencing in 2028.

Victoria says it has now fast-tracked 22 projects worth more than $7.8 billion since it created its Development Facilitation Program (DFP) last year. The state Labor government aims to reach 95 per cent renewables by 2035, by which time it expects all three of remaining its brown coal generators will have shut down.

State planning minister Sonya Kilkenny says proponents for both projects were required to undertake consultation with the community and relevant government agencies including the Country Fire Authority, Agriculture Victoria, DEECA and local water authorities.

If you would like to join more than 26,600 others and get the latest clean energy news delivered straight to your inbox, for free, please click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter.