Author: PPD Team Date: 21/11/2024
The State Electricity Commission (SEC) has announced plans to construct the SEC Renewable Energy Park – Horsham, one of Australia’s first 100 per cent publicly owned utility-scale renewable energy projects.
The solar and storage facility aims to supply affordable and reliable renewable energy to power approximately 51,000 homes annually, supporting the transition to a clean energy grid.
The project, built in partnership with OX2, will be developed in two phases. Phase one involves installing over 212,000 PV solar panels with a capacity of 119 megawatts, generating approximately 242,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy each year. Phase two will add a 100-megawatt two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS), making it one of Australia’s first integrated solar and BESS projects with a single connection point. The BESS will store renewable energy for use during peak demand and include a grid-forming battery to enhance grid stability.
The energy park is expected to create 246 jobs during construction, including 20 roles for apprentices, trainees, and cadets. Once operational, the project will offset 206,000 tonnes of emissions annually and supply renewable energy to Victorian Government operations, aligning with its goal of 100 per cent renewable electricity.
The SEC is also committing $42,000 during construction and $70,000 annually once operational to support local communities. The project aligns with the Victorian Government’s targets to achieve at least 2.6 gigawatts of energy storage capacity by 2030 and 6.3 gigawatts by 2035. It is part of the SEC’s broader $1 billion investment to build 4.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy and storage capacity.
Photo Credit: SEC Victoria