CWP Renewables has revealed its plans to develop the 600MW Parkesbourne solar and storage project inside the Goulburn Mulwaree Council, in the Southern Tablelands region of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).
Image: CWP Renewables announces plans for 600MW Parkesbourne solar and storage project in NSW. Photo: Courtesy of khunaspix/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
The renewable energy company said that it has submitted the solar and storage project outline and a preliminary environmental assessment to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
The Parkesbourne solar and storage project is proposed to be built on freehold land, 15km north-west of Goulburn. CWP Renewables said that the area under investigation includes around 2,000 hectares of cleared, flat land east of Breadalbane that is separated by the Hume Highway.
CWP Renewables development manager Matthew Flower said: “Our application comes off the back of early engagement with potential hosts, neighbouring landowners and the wider community. These discussions have shaped the project, which will continue as we work through the permitting process.”
The company said that the Parkesbourne solar and storage project will add to its geographically dispersed portfolio of wind and solar facilities, which combines multiple technologies and generation profiles with storage to deliver into the market.
CWP Renewables chief operating officer Ed Mounsey said: “Our aggregated and complimentary portfolio is in line with the Federal Government’s direction to improve the affordability and security of the national energy market while also delivering on international climate commitments.”
In another development, the company said that it has secured planning approval from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to develop a 200MW solar and storage project.
According to CWP Renewables, the project will be an expansion of the 270MW Sapphire Wind Farm located in the New England region of NSW, into a wind, solar and battery hybrid project dubbed as the Sapphire Renewable Energy Hub.
The Sapphire Wind Farm, which broke ground in January 2017, is anticipated to be fully operational in coming months. On the other hand, construction of the solar and battery facilities is expected to begin in early 2019 and will take around 14 months.
CWP Renewables has also outlined its plans to develop another solar and storage project in New South Wales, in the form of the 200MW Glenellen project within the Greater Hume Shire, near Jindera.