ACEN bags approval for 1.2-GW Birriwa Solar and Battery project

Electricity generation will start in 2029.

ACEN Australia has secured the approval of the Independent Planning Commission for the 1.2-gigawatt (GW) Birriwa Solar and Battery project located about 20 kilometres southeast of Dunedoo in the New South Wales Central-West Orana region.

In a statement, ACEN said the project is composed of a 600 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic generator and a centralised battery energy storage system of up to 600 MW for two hours. 

This approval marks the first generation and storage project approved for connection to the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) transmission network, the company said. 

ACEN expects construction to commence in late 2026 or early 2027, with energy generation from the project anticipated around 2029. Once operational, the facility can power approximately 262,000 homes. 

The project is proposed to connect to the Merotherie Energy Hub and the associated 500 kilovolt (kV) and 330kV transmission infrastructure proposed by EnergyCo NSW as part of the Central West Orana REZ development. 

ACEN aims to build a 13 GW pipeline across Australia, on top of its existing 400 MW New England Solar and 400 MW Stubbo Solar projects.  

“With more than 8 GW targeted to be in construction or operational by 2030, ACEN is playing a major role in meeting the needs of Australia’s electricity consumers in the coming decade and beyond,” the company said.