Australia's New South Wales awards 350 MW solar, 4,000 MWh storage capacity

New South Wales in Australia has awarded long-term energy service agreements to two renewable energy projects and three energy storage projects as part of the government's Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. The projects will also be fast-tracked under the state's incentive scheme.

The awards span one solar project, one wind project, two lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) projects and one advanced-compressed air energy storage system. The five projects are expected to be operational from 2028 and represent A$ 4.2 billion ($2.82 billion) in private investment in the state's renewable energy infrastructure.

These include the 350 MW Culcairn Solar Farm being developed by Neoen near Albury and the 400 MW Uungula wind project being built by Squadron Energy near Wellington.

The long-duration storage projects include a 275 MW/ 2,200 MWh lithium-ion BESS to be built by Ark Energy at Myrtle Creek and an eight-hour lithium-ion battery -- the 49 MW/ 392 MWh Goulburn River project -- being built by Lightsource bp at Merriwa.

Hydrostor's 200 MW/1,600 MWh Silver City compressed air energy storage project being developed near Broken Hill rounds out the projects awarded.

NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said the state has now locked in 5.79 GW of its legislated 12 GW renewable target for power generation and 574 MW of the legislated 2 GW target for long-duration storage. "We are now almost halfway there on our 2030 renewable generation target, and over a quarter of the way there on our long-duration storage target," she said.