310 MW hybrid renewable energy project approved in Australia

A 310 MW hybrid renewable energy project proposed by Neoen has been given the approval by the South Australia state government. Located around 3 km north of Crystal Brook and 23 km southeast of Port Pirie, Crystal Brook Energy Park will be a 24/7 renewable energy generation facility.

The developer proposed to build a 150 MW solar farm featuring 400,000‐500,000 solar panels mounted on single-axis trackers, a 125 MW wind farm with 26 turbines (up to 240m in height), a 130 MW/400 MWh lithium-ion energy storage facility, and associated infrastructure that will be connected to the national grid. The energy storage facility will be located on a separate site and connected to the wind park and solar farm via an underground transmission line comprising 33 kV cables.

Neoen’s Crystal Brook plans also involve up to 50 MW of on-site hydrogen production capability, or up to 25,000 kg per day. The hydrogen production facility did not form a part of the proposal and is pending the outcome of a state government-backed feasibility study.

The Crystal Brook Energy Park will generate approximately 620,000 Megawatt-hours of renewable electricity every year. This is enough to power 145,000 homes with renewable energy. Once the project is in operation, the reduction in CO2 emissions from South Australia will be equivalent to taking 165,000 cars off the road, or planting 3 million trees, while saving millions of dollars every year in fossil fuel costs.

Neoen Australia’s head of development Garth Heron said, “Changing the role of renewables, from just providing power when available to providing firm power 24-hours a day is essential for long-term sustainability, and this project will be the first of its kind to offer that type of power service in Australia.”