Wirsol wins planning nod for Aussie solar-battery hybrid park

Renewable energy group Wirsol, part of Germany’s Wircon Group, has obtained planning permission for a 235-MWp solar park with up to 270 MWh of battery storage in New South Wales, Australia.

Maryvale Solar and Energy Storage project has been cleared by the Aussie state’s Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Wirsol said earlier this week.

The proposed complex is set to be installed 37 km southeast of Dubbo, with its construction slated to begin late in 2023. The site of the project, covering around 350 ha (865 acres), will accommodate the photovoltaic (PV) arrays and will also be used for sheep grazing, once the capacity become operation.

A lithium-ion battery storage facility of between 190 MWh and 270 MWh will be integrated with the solar park, which is scheduled to go online in early 2025. The output of the complex is expected to be enough to cover the electricity demand of around 82,000 average households.

Grid application for the project is currently in progress, Wirsol said. It noted that the DC-coupling of solar generation and energy storage involves connecting both elements directly into the inverters at the site, allowing it to function as a predictable and dispatchable generation asset.

Wirsol acquired the project from Photon Energy Pty Ltd and Polpo Investments Ltd and extended the capacity of the solar component from the original 160 MWp.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!