The federal government has ticked ACEN Australia‘s Birriwa Solar project, which includes the construction of around 1 million solar panels and 600MW of battery storage.
Related article: ACEN’s Birriwa Solar and Storage project gets planning tick
Birriwa Solar is located near Dunedoo and forms part of the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, which recently received environmental approval for a transmission line.
The project will generate enough energy to power 229,000 NSW homes and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
“Our attention will now turn to preparing for construction, including development of temporary workers accommodation, implementing our strategies to employ local staff where possible, and to source goods and services from local businesses,” ACEN Australia stated on the project website.
“We will also continue to contribute to long-term benefits for the local community through our Social Investment Program. We anticipate construction will commence in late 2026 or early 2027, with energy generation from the project anticipated around 2029, in line with the CWO REZ timeframes.”
Related article: Goulburn River Solar Farm granted planning approval
The project is proposed to connect to the Merotherie Energy Hub and the associated 500kV and 330kV transmission infrastructure proposed by EnergyCo NSW as part of the CWO REZ development.
