Australia ‘Ticks Off’ Over 1 GW Solar & Storage Project

• The Australian government has given its nod to the Punchs Creek Solar & Storage Farm 
• The project is proposed to have 800 MW AC and 250 MW BESS component, located in Queensland 
• It is expected to generate enough clean energy to power some 300,000 homes 

The Federal Government of Australia has cleared the way for a 960 MW DC/800 MW AC solar power plant that is planned to be accompanied by a 250 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland. 

The Punchs Creek Renewable Energy (PCRE) project was proposed by Skylab Australia in 2023 near Toowoomba city. Back then, the company had said it planned to deploy solar modules from Chinese solar manufacturer LONGi (see 800 MW AC Solar & 250 MW Storage Project In Queensland).  

Skylab plans to equip the project with some 1.7 million solar panels on previously cleared agricultural land. Power generated by the power station will be enough for 300,000 homes, said the government.  

The Punchs Creek project is planned to be sited in the South West Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) which is one of the state's 12 REZs that will accommodate around 22 GW project capacity to achieve its goal of 80% renewable energy share in the electricity mix by 2035 (see Queensland Ready With Renewable Energy Zone Roadmap). 

"We want to unlock Australia's potential to be a world leader in renewable energy. I've now ticked off 47 renewable energy projects which will power over 3 million homes," said Australia's Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek. "And we have a record 134 renewables projects in the approval pipeline."