Two Projects With 215 MW Capacity Cleared In NSW

• 125 MW Maryvale Solar Project and 90 MW West Wyalong Solar Plant have secured approval from the NSW state government
• A JV between Photon Energy, Canadian Solar and Polpo Investments will be building the 125 MW plant near Wellington for AUD 188 million
• Lightsource BP will be setting up the 90 MW plant in West Wyalong for AUD 135 million
• For the 90 MW project, Lightsource BP will be adding 50 MW/90 MWh battery storage

The New South Wales (NSW) state in Australia has given its stamp of approval for two new large-scale solar power project proposals through its Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Together the two projects will add 215 MW installed capacity.

Maryvale Solar Farm Pty Ltd. (MSF), a joint venture (JV) between Photon Energy, Canadian Solar and Polpo Investments has secured approval for a 125 MW (AC) solar power plant near Wellington region within Central-West Renewable Energy Zone. The proposed capacity may be extended later on.

The project will use close to 450,000 single-axis tracking solar panels and will be set up for AUD 188 million ($129 million).

Maryvale project is part of the five solar projects with 1.14 GW capacity of a deal between Photon Energy and Canadian Solar for NSW. The other projects include two projects in the form of Suntop Solar Farms, 165 MW Gunnedah Solar Farm, 178 MW Mumbil project and 316 MW project in Gunning. The latter it said last year will be the largest in the state on completion (see Photon Energy Plans 316 MW In Australia).

Another project to have secured green light from the department is Lightsource BP's 90 MW (AC) solar power plant in West Wyalong, Riverina region to be constructed for AUD 135 million ($93 million). The British company plans to add 50 MW/90 MWh battery storage capacity. It plans to start construction on site on some 280 hectares of land in the fourth quarter of 2020 with an aim to deploy approximately 296,000 single-axis tracking solar panels. On completion, it is expected to generate 226,000 MWh of clean power annually.

Lightsource BP plans to use bifacial solar panels from Canadian Solar for its first Australian PV project with 200 MW capacity for which it announced financial closure in October 2019 (see Lightsource BP Secures Financing For Australia Project).

The state of NSW is working on a plan to reduce its GHG emissions by 35% by 2030, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW along with Western Australia are the two states with no specific renewable energy target so far (see South Australia Leads Country In RE Transition).