Maoneng tables plan for roughly 1-GW renewable energy hub in NSW

Australian renewables developer Maoneng has laid out plans for a massive energy hub in New South Wales, incorporating 550 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) and 400 MW/1,600 MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity.

With the ambitious project, Maoneng intends to address the regional energy supply and grid stability needs of the National Electricity Market (NEM), the company said on Monday. While it has still not submitted a planning application, the developer expects to complete the project in 2025.

The construction of the solar-battery complex is estimated to take some 18 months. Maoneng intends to use around 780 ha (1,927 acres) of grazing land south of Merriwa, in the Upper Hunter Shire Council area, to build a solar park consisting of 1.3 million PV panels and single-axis trackers. Its plan also envisages the construction of a new substation that will link the Merriwa Energy Hub to the NEM via TransGrid’s infrastructure.

During the construction period, the project is set to open up to 500 full-time jobs.

Maoneng is the owner of one of Australia's largest PV parks -- the 250-MW Sunraysia complex in New South Wales. Earlier this year, the company won development approval for a 240 MWp/480 MWh battery project in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!