New wind farms and big batteries are pushing South Australia closer to 100 per cent net renewables, while supplying major industry and driving billions of dollars in new investment.

Australia’s most successful renewables and storage developer Neoen has begun construction of a major new wind farm and big battery that will help power one of the world’s biggest mines, and push the state of South Australia closer to its target of reaching 100 per cent net renewables.

The Goyder North wind farm will be sized at 346 megawatts – beaten only in the state by the nearby 412.5 MW Goyder South wind farm that Neoen also owns – and will be accompanied by the Goyder battery, sized at 454 MW and 1,814 MWh.

The news came on the same day that Tilt Renewables officially started construction of the 278 MW Palmer wind farm, meaning that the state now has three new wind projects under construction, and a number of big batteries, in its push to reach 100 per cent net renewables by the end of next year.

“The green gold rush shows no sign of abating and underpins that a focus on renewables is not just good for the environment, but for the economy,” state energy minister Tom Koutsantonis said after attending a sod-turning ceremony at the Palmer facility.

“Investment in operational large-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects in South Australia now totals more than $6.6 billion across 37 operational projects, and there’s now an estimated $32.48 billion of projects under construction or with development approval – a combined total value approaching $40 billion.”

The Goyder........

© Pearls and Irritations