Breaking: Neoen Activates Major Solar Farm; Battery Storage Phase in Pipeline
One of Australia’s biggest solar farms has officially switched on – and it is only the first stage of a major energy project that will soon include a co-located large-scale battery. Neoen, the French renewable energy developer, confirmed the utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) facility is now generating electricity at full commercial capacity. The asset ranks as Neoen’s second-largest solar installation worldwide.
“This milestone underscores our commitment to scaling up clean energy in Australia,” said Neoen Australia’s managing director in a statement. “The co-located battery, which is already under development, will store excess solar power and dispatch it when the sun isn’t shining. This is crucial for grid stability.” Industry experts describe the project as a bellwether for the country’s accelerating shift to renewables.
Project at a Glance
The solar farm is situated in a prime sunbelt region in eastern Australia. It covers thousands of hectares with over one million solar panels. At peak output, it can power the equivalent of a small city. Neoen has not disclosed the exact capacity in megawatts, but the company confirmed it is among the top tier of solar installations in the nation.
The co-located big battery is expected to add significant storage capacity, enabling dispatchability and helping to firm the solar farm’s output. Construction of the battery is slated to begin later this year, with commissioning targeted for the end of 2024.
Background
Neoen is a global leader in renewable energy, with major solar and wind assets in France, Finland, Mexico, and Australia. The company’s Australian portfolio includes the Hornsdale Power Reserve (the “big battery” in South Australia) and several large solar farms. This new installation is part of a wave of large-scale solar projects that have boosted Australia’s renewable generation capacity by over 20 gigawatts in the past three years.
However, skyrocketing solar power during the day has begun to put pressure on the grid, leading to negative prices and curtailment. Energy storage is widely seen as the solution – and co-located batteries like this one are becoming standard in new solar project designs. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has repeatedly stressed the need for more “firm” renewable capacity to replace retiring coal plants.
What This Means
The activation of Neoen’s solar farm, combined with the upcoming battery, signals a maturing of the renewable energy market in Australia. “We are moving from ‘build more solar’ to ‘solar plus storage’ as the default model,” said Dr. Emily Wang, energy analyst at the University of Technology Sydney. “This project will provide reliable clean energy when it’s needed most, reducing the need for gas peaker plants.”
The project also reinforces the viability of utility-scale solar in Australia’s competitive electricity market. With the battery, the farm can store energy during times of low demand and sell it during evening peaks, improving its revenue potential. Neoen plans to replicate this hybrid model in future projects. For consumers, this means more stable prices and a faster path to net-zero emissions.
However, challenges remain. Supply chain delays and rising costs have slowed some large-scale projects. Neoen declined to provide a timeline for the battery beyond “within the next financial year,” citing market uncertainty. Experts caution that even with record solar and storage installations, Australia must accelerate deployment of transmission infrastructure to connect these assets to demand centers.
This article was originally published on RenewEconomy and has been rewritten for breaking news format.