Bulgana Green Power Hub to break ground

wind farm

Neoen is set to begin construction on its Bulgana Green Power Hub (BGPH) after reaching financial close.

The integrated wind farm and battery storage facility, located in Stawell in regional Victoria, will comprise a 194MW wind farm with Siemens-Gamesa wind turbines, combined with a 20MW/34MWh lithium-ion battery provided by Tesla.

The BGPH is Neoen’s largest single-stage project in Australia and will generate more than 740,000MWh of emission-free, clean, renewable energy per year.

Neoen Australia managing director Franck Woitiez said the successful financial close of BGPH is yet another significant milestone for the company.

“We are excited to finally break ground on the Bulgana Green Power Hub and look forward to delivering affordable and sustainable energy to the state of Victoria,” Me Woitiez said.

“Our teams have worked tirelessly to reach financial close for the project, which will not only create a substantial number of jobs but also stimulate healthy economic activity in the local region, specifically in Western Victoria and Stawell.”

Early preparatory works for the project have commenced, with full construction to kick off in April and the wind farm targeted for delivery in August 2019.

AusNet Services, the owners and operators of the Victorian electricity transmission network, will develop the transmission connection for BGPH.

The BGPH is expected to create up to 120 jobs during construction and five ongoing jobs in the region once the facility is operational.

The Victorian Government has committed to a 15-year Support Agreement, a major step towards meeting the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) and re-establishing the state as a leader in renewable energy.

Additionally, in a first of its kind agribusiness partnership globally, Nectar Farms has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the supply of competitive and reliable energy to its glasshouse facility.

Nectar Farms will begin construction on its 30-hectare glasshouse facility in the coming months, to coincide its commissioning with the activation of BGPH.

It will take up to 15 per cent of energy from the facility, with the remaining 85 per cent going straight into the local grid.

“This is a key milestone for Nectar Farms. At its core, it will enable us to start the planning and development process for our Stawell project,” Nectar Farms CEO Stephen Sasse said.

“Our glasshouse facility is strategically located close to the major distribution centres and wholesale markets, which will go a long way in contributing to the Victorian Government’s food and fibre export targets.

“More importantly, the energy solution we have built with Neoen is a world-first for the horticulture industry, and we hope to see it replicated elsewhere in Australia.”

Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said the project was an exciting initiative that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create jobs while helping meet the state’s renewable energy targets.

“We’re delivering affordable, secure and clean energy which is powering new jobs right across Victoria,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

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