Windlab, Eurus plan 1.2-GW wind-solar hybrid in Australia

Aussie renewables firm Windlab Ltd and Japanese partner Eurus Energy Holdings Corp intend to construct an up to 1.2-GW wind and solar power complex in Queensland, Australia.

Windlab said in a press release that the pair expects to start building the complex within 12 months, now that they have signed a 50/50 joint venture agreement for the purpose.

The AUD-140-million (USD 101.5m/EUR 91.7m) plant at the Kennedy Energy Park will be Australia’s first large-scale hybrid solar-wind power facility. Its first stage will consist of six wind turbines, each with a diametre of 136 metres, and 64,000 solar panels. In the second stage, the complex could expand to 1.2 GW of renewable energy capacity, Windlab noted, adding that this would be enough to meet much of Queensland’s contribution to the national 2020 Renewable Energy Target.

“In combination, these natural resources [wind and solar] can provide a net capacity factor approaching 70%, better than “base load” coal utilisation in Queensland,” Windlab CEO Roger Price commented. He added that the site that was chosen for the complex “is predominantly windy through the afternoon and into the evening, and obviously experiences sunlight during daylight hours”.

(AUD 1.0 = USD 0.725/EUR 0.656)

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