Green energy supplier Iberdrola’s Australian subsidiary has started construction of its Broadsound Solar and Battery project in the state of Queensland.
The 376MW Broadsound solar farm and 180MW co-located two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) is expected to generate power for 145,000 homes.
The project is set to deliver up to 350 jobs during its two-year construction plan, which is scheduled for completion in mid-2026.
Located approximately two hours north-west from the city of Rockhampton, Broadsound Solar and Battery is situated on the land of the Barada Kabalbara Yetimarala people. Iberdrola Australia has established a community benefit fund to support local community needs during construction and the operational life of the project.
The company is also conducting environmental research on the flora, fauna and soil health surrounding the project.
Queensland’s renewable energy targets require that 50% of the state’s electricity generation is sourced from renewables by 2030, 70% by 2032 and 80% by 2035.
In August, the first publicly owned large-scale BESS project in Queensland entered commercial operation with a capacity of 100MW/200 megawatt-hours.
Iberdrola Australia CEO and chairman Ross Rolfe commented: “We are looking forward to this big step into the Queensland market. It has been great to work with the local community, the First Nations people, and in particular the Queensland Government and Isaac Regional Council on this project to deliver clean and affordable energy.”
The company has more than 2GW of capacity in operation or construction across Australia, including the Aurora Green offshore wind site, which was approved by the Victorian Government in May.
Since 2022, its parent company, Iberdrola, based in Spain, has invested almost A$3bn ($2bn) in Australia’s energy transition. The Australian Government aims to achieve 82% renewable electricity generation by 2030.
Power Technology’s parent company, GlobalData, forecasts that Australia’s renewable power capacity share will increase exponentially in the coming years and overtake thermal’s share in 2028.
