Amazon Australia's solar projects in NSW start operations

The two solar farms aim to produce 392,000MWh energy yearly.

Amazon said its two solar farm projects in New South Wales in Australia that aim to generate 392,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually have started operations.

In a statement, Amazon said the generation target of the solar farms, located in Gunnedah and Suntop is equal to the annual electricity consumption of 63,000 Australian homes.

“Amazon’s commitment to protecting the planet, to operate our business in the most efficient way possible, and to limit our impact on the environment, has led us to be the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world in both 2020 and 2021,” said Rianne Van Veldhuizen, managing director of commercial operations at Amazon Web Services in Australia and New Zealand.

The two projects are two of the 310 renewable energy projects of Amazon across 19 countries which help the online platform to maintain its course to powering its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of its original goal of 2030.

Once Amazon Wind Farm Australia - Hawksdale also becomes operational, she said this will boost the projects’ combined annual renewable energy generation to 717,000 MWh, enough to power nearly 115,000 Australian homes.

Amazon in 2020 committed to offtake 262MW of combined clean energy capacity in three utility-scale renewable projects in Australia.

“Amazon is committed to investing and innovating across its businesses to help create a more sustainable future,” Van Veldhuizen said.

“It’s important that large companies like Amazon stimulate investment in the development of green technologies and low-carbon products and services that will be required to help companies of all sizes decarbonise their operations,” she added.