Sydney - Middle East Times Int’l: THE opening of the first stage of ACEN Australia’s New England Solar project marks a milestone in the project’s six-year journey to generate clean renewable energy into the National Electricity Market (NEM), the company says.

The Federal Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Bowen MP, opened the facility near Uralla, NSW.

The 720 megawatt (AC) project is being developed in two stages; construction of the first 400 megawatt (AC) stage began in March 2021. 

It is one of Australia’s largest solar projects in the NEM; stage one alone needed almost a million solar panels.

New England Solar has been generating renewable power since December 2022 and is expected to reach full capacity in coming months.

During construction, up to 400 workers have been on site during peak activity, upgrading and maintaining roads, installing and building supporting infrastructure, and constructing and connecting tracking systems and installing solar PV modules. Around 80% of this peak workforce has been filled by personnel from the New England region.

ACEN Australia CEO Anton Rohner said the event was an important milestone for the energy transformation under way across Australia.

“I truly believe that the work ACEN Australia is doing to accelerate Australia’s transition to a renewable energy future is here and now – and it starts with New England Solar,” he said.

“We decided to build New England Solar on a fully merchant basis to ensure it is online in time to help replace closing coal fired power stations in NSW. We wanted to get things built, to decarbonise Australia.”

ACEN Australia will spend more than $5m on the Uralla community over 25+ years as part of New England Solar. The company has more than 1GW capacity in construction, and more than 8GW capacity in the development pipeline, said CEO Eric Francia.