South Australia: 500 MW Solar+Storage Project Approved

• A 500 MW solar power plant proposed by the Energy Projects Solar (EPS) for the state of South Australia has secured approval from the government
• The proposed project will be accompanied by 250 MW/1,000 MWh of battery energy storage system
• To be developed for an investment of AUD 1.17 billion ($822 million) 40 km south-east of Burra, the Robertstown Solar is likely to enter construction in mid-2020
• It will be developed in phases of 125 MW capacity each with a total of around 1,700,000 solar panels

The South Australian government has accorded its stamp of approval for the development of a 500 MW solar power farm in the state along with 250 MW/1,000 MWh of battery storage. New South Wales (NSW) based developer Energy Projects Solar (EPS) Pty Ltd. announced the update as the project received a go ahead from the state government post no objection from local residents, according to local renewable energy media portal RenewEconomy.

Robertstown Solar will be located 40 km south-east of Burra on some 1,800 hectares of cleared land in the suburbs of Bright and Geranium Plains and developed for an investment of AUD 1.17 billion ($822 million). EPS plans to deploy approximately 1,700,000 solar panels on single axis tracking racks and begin construction on the project sometime in the middle of 2020.

It has proposed the development of 500 MW capacity in the form of 4 projects of around 125 MW capacity and each with associated infrastructure.

According to EPS' website, the company has 2 more solar power plants proposals for South Australia. One of these is the 280 MW Bungama Solar utility scale PV plant for cleared land east of Port Pirie, and the 200 MW to 400 MW Yoorndoo Ilga Solar project north of Whyalla, both with battery energy storage systems.