Renewable

August 17 (Renewables Now) - Australian developer CWP Renewables announced today it has secured planning approval to add around 200 MW solar and storage power capacity to its 270-MW Sapphire wind project in New South Wales.

The new capacity additions will create the so-called Sapphire Renewable Energy Hub that will incorporate wind, solar and energy storage technologies and will be the largest one of its kind globally.

Construction of the Sapphire wind park is currently ongoing and is planned to be completed in the coming months, while the solar and battery components are expected to enter construction at the start of 2019. The new facilities will be co-located with the Sapphire wind park in the state’s New England region and will require an investment of AUD 220 million (USD 160m/EUR 140m). Building activities will take about 14 months and will open between 150 and 200 full-time jobs, CWP Renewables said.

The 270-MW Sapphire wind farm will use 75 units of Vestas Wind Systems’ (CPH:VWS) V126-3.45 MW turbines in 3.6-MW power optimised mode. The AUD-588-million wind park has a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 100 MW with the Australian Capital Territory, won in an auction. It will sell the rest of its output on a merchant basis.

(AUD 1.0 = USD 0.728/EUR 0.638)