In Australia, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SEC) has unveiled plans for the SEC renewable energy park, Horsham. The project will be among the country's first 100% publicly owned utility-scale renewable energy projects.
The project underscores SEC's commitment to providing affordable, renewable and reliable energy, empowering Victorians with public ownership of energy resources.
The new solar and renewable energy storage facility will be developed by OX2 in two stages.
The initial stage will involve the construction of a solar facility with 119MW capacity, featuring 212,000 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.
This facility is projected to generate 242,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually.
The project's second phase will feature a 100MW two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS), making it one of Australia's first integrated solar and BESS projects with a single connection point.
The BESS will enhance the solar farm's energy output and store renewable energy for peak demand periods.
The project will generate enough renewable energy to power 51,000 homes, contributing significantly to the state's energy needs, while offsetting 206,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
The project will also provide local employment and supplier opportunities, along with best practice engagement with First Peoples, fostering community development.
It is projected to generate 246 jobs during construction, including 20 roles for apprentices, trainees and cadets.
The SEC will support the local community with a $42,000 fund during construction and an additional $70,000 annually once the project is operational.
The initiative, alongside the SEC's investment in the Melbourne renewable energy hub, will contribute to achieving the Victorian government’s energy storage targets of at least 2.6GW by 2030 and 6.3GW by 2035.
The SEC is investing an initial A$1bn towards developing 4.5GW of new renewable energy generation and storage projects, reinforcing its role in Victoria's renewable energy landscape.
