Massive 450MW solar farm, 1.8GWh battery approved for Victoria coal site – pv magazine Australia

September 11, 2024 David Carroll

Victoria’s coal-fired energy hub, Latrobe Valley, will be home to the state’s largest solar farm. The 450MW Hazelwood North Solar Farm project will also include 450/1800MWh of storage. Planning permission has been granted, paving the way for construction to begin.

The Hazelwood North Solar Farm, developed by Latrobe Valley-based family business Manthos Investments and managed by Robert Luxmoore, is to be built on a 1,100-hectare site between Morwell and Traralgon, about 150 kilometres east of Melbourne.

In its planning application, the applicant stated that the project would benefit from existing energy infrastructure in the region and utilise surplus capacity created following the closure of Hazelwood coal-fired power station in 2017, as well as the upcoming closures of Yallourn (2028) and Loy Yang (2035) power stations.

“The region has historically been the centre of Victoria’s power generation system and has seen significant investment in electricity infrastructure,” it said. “As coal-fired power generation declines, there are opportunities to meet Australia’s renewable energy needs.”

Construction of the Hazelwood North solar farm is expected to begin in the coming months and, once completed, will be larger than any other solar farm currently operating in Victoria.

The 450 MW facility will be capable of generating more than 700,000 MWh of clean electricity per year, and a four-hour energy storage system will enable a continuous supply of electricity to the grid.

Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the project would support the state’s renewable energy generation targets of 65 per cent by 2030 and 95 per cent by 2035. These energy generation targets are supported by energy storage targets of at least 2.6GW by the end of the decade and 6.3GW by 2035.

“The approval of the Hazelwood North Solar Farm will strengthen Victoria’s renewable energy industry and deliver cheaper, cleaner electricity to thousands of homes,” Mr Kilkenny said.

The $651 million ($433 million) project is also expected to provide a significant economic boost to communities across the region as it will create approximately 500 jobs during the construction phase.

The project also assumes the possibility of continuing agricultural activities on the area, which is currently used for cattle grazing and growing dry crops.

“The panels will not pose a threat to livestock, and agricultural activity will not impact the performance of the solar installations,” the developer said. “Allowing agricultural activity to continue on the site represents best practice in the renewable energy industry and maximizes the utility of the site.”

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