Renewable energy provider Neoen has announced it is set to begin construction on its integrated wind farm and battery storage facility, Bulgana Green Power Hub (BGPH), located in Stawell, regional Victoria.

Early preparatory works for the project have commenced and full construction will begin in April. The project is set to be completed in August 2019 and is expected to generate over 740,000MWh of emission-free, clean, renewable energy per annum.

BGPH will comprise a 194MW wind farm with Siemens-Gamesa wind turbines, combined with a 20MW / 34MWh lithium-ion battery provided by Tesla.

The transmission connection of BGPH will be developed by AusNet, which owns and operates the Victorian electricity transmission network.

“We are excited to finally break ground on the Bulgana Green Power Hub and look forward to delivering affordable and sustainable energy to Victoria. Our teams have worked tirelessly to reach financial close for the project, which will not only create a substantial number of jobs but also stimulate healthy economic activity in the local region, specifically in Western Victoria and Stawell,” says Neoen Australia managing director Franck Woitiez.

In a first of its kind agribusiness partnership globally, Nectar Farms has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the supply of competitive and reliable energy to its glasshouse facility.

Nectar Farms will begin construction on its 30ha glasshouse facility in the coming months, to coincide its commissioning with the activation of BGPH. It will take up to 15% energy from the green power hub, with the remaining 85% going straight into the local grid.

“This is a key milestone for Nectar Farms. At its core, it will enable us to start the planning and development process for our Stawell Project,” says Nectar Farms chief executive Stephen Sasse.

“Our glasshouse facility is strategically located close to the major distribution centres and wholesale markets, which will go a long way in contributing to the Victorian Government’s food and fibre export targets. 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.”

Additionally, the Victorian Government has committed to a 15-year Support Agreement, a major step towards meeting the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET).

Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio says the BGPH is an exciting initiative that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help meet renewable energy targets and create jobs.