Community
1 August, 2024
Solar farm receives connection approval
THE Mortlake Energy Hub has marked a major milestone with approval received to connect the 360-megawatt project to the National Electricity Market.
Developer BrightNight last week announced it had received formal approval from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
The Mortlake Energy Hub is BrightNight’s first hybrid renewable energy project in Australia, and the largest in Victoria.
It will boast A 360MW solar generation capacity and a 300 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
BrightNight chief executive officer Jerome Ortiz said, once operational, the project would generate enough dispatchable renewable energy to supply nearly 140,000 Victorian homes, accounting for over one per cent of the state’s total electricity consumption.
“BrightNight has significantly broadened its presence throughout the Asia Pacific region over the past two years, and this approval marks a pivotal milestone as we accelerate our presence in the Australian market,” he said.
“Australia’s increasing energy demand, alongside that of the broader region, presents vast opportunities for us to provide our cutting-edge renewable energy solutions to drive the adoption of clean energy.”
BrightNight Australia country head Polly Baranco said the approval was a significant advancement for Australia’s decarbonization efforts.
Both federal and state governments have introduced policy strategies to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and achieve Net Zero emissions in Australia by 2050.
Ms Baranco said decarbonizing the power sector is crucial to increasing the share of low-carbon power generation to 82 per cent by 2030, more than double the current level.
“Getting grid approval from AEMO for the Mortlake Hub is a testament to the expertise and innovation that the BrightNight team brings to Australia and allows us to start showcasing this great project to customers,” she said.
“The Mortlake Hub is the most advanced project in BrightNight’s Australia portfolio and provides a blueprint for our upcoming projects as we approach gigawatt-scale buildout in the market.”
Notably, the Mortlake Energy Hub is the only hybrid renewable energy project in Victoria with AEMO-approved generator performance standards for the 500-kilovolt transmission network.
The Hub’s advanced hybrid power plant controller system optimizes power distribution between its solar photovoltaic plants and BESS, ensuring grid code compliance and allowing for tailored power dispatch.
BrightNight aims to deliver customer-specific renewable solutions that provide 24/7 clean power, supporting the global energy transition while ensuring long-term grid stability and reliability.
The Mortlake Energy Hub is slated to begin construction in 2025.