Neoen Australia has commenced construction on the $350 million Bulgana Green Power Hub, a combined wind farm and battery storage that will power the Nectar Farms expansion in Western Victoria.
“We are excited to finally break ground on the Bulgana Green Power Hub and look forward to delivering affordable and sustainable energy to the State of Victoria,” Neoen Australia's head Franck Woitiez said.
Bulgana Green Power Hub will include a 194MW wind farm as well as a 20MW (34MWh) battery storage facility that will utilise Tesla lithium-ion powerpacks. This new energy facility is set to provide Nectar Farms’ greenhouse – which is expected to be the largest greenhouse in Australia.
Approximately 15 per cent of the output from Bulgana will go to Nectar Farms’ greenhouse and the rest of the output from the facility will be put into the grid, with which the Victorian Government has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement for a portion of that output.
Nectar Farms’ new $215 million greenhouse is strategically located near major distribution centres and wholesale markets, and it set to supply the highest quality produce.
“More importantly, the energy solution we have built with Neoen is a world-first for the horticulture industry, and we hope to see it replicated elsewhere in Australia,” Nectar Farms’ head Stephen Sasse said.
Delivery of both the energy hub and Nectar Farms’ 30-hectare greenhouse is projected to generate jobs for the Stawell region. The Bulgana Green Power Hub is expected to support up to 120 jobs during construction, whereas the construction of the new greenhouse will support around 300 jobs.
Construction on the Bulgana Green Power Hub is set to commence in April 2018 and completed by August 2019. The new Nectar Farms greenhouse is also set to be completed around the same time.
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Source: RenewEconomy