PROJECT TALLY (December) Number of projects = 491 - 213 Generating - 278 In Development

Total Capacity = 71,836.125 MW - 21,464.445 MW Generating - 50,371.68 MW In Development Project Updates Week ending 12 January 2018

Welcome back in 2018 Power Stations (formally the Green State Power hydro assets), located in Australia. The AltEnergy team hopes you enjoyed the The agreement is for the purchase of 100% of festive season and, like us, are raring to the shares of GSP Energy Pty Ltd and is launch back into what promises to be another subject to Foreign Investment Review Board outstanding year for renewable energy in our approval. region. While the volume of news has understandably been a little slow over the Meridian’s Chief Executive Neal Barclay says, Christmas/NY period, we look forward to “Meridian is building our portfolio of ramping up to full capacity with our weekly complementary Australian renewable Project Updates in the coming weeks. This generation to support our growing retail edition covers the period from just before business”. Christmas.

Meridian has been growing its retail customer We have some changes to announce in the numbers through its brand in coming weeks as AltEnergy evolves into an Australia since 2014. Acquiring the hydro exciting new phase of development. Rest assets located in New South Wales allows the assured we will continue to provide our users company to continue to cover its growing with a comprehensive weekly compilation of retail business by adding 92.4 MWs of hydro all the major project news impacting the to its renewable generation portfolio. Australia and New Zealand renewable energy industries, in tandem with our exhaustive and “We are committed to the Powershop up-to-date database. business in Australia,” says Barclay.

“We have a retail offering that is disrupting

the Australian market. Customers are finding Meridian enters into value in our easy-to-use online model that conditional agreement for shows them how much power they are using and what it costs and we’re finding there is a hydro assets to support strong and growing desire from Australian Powershop growth electricity consumers to support a ‘green’ 22 December energy retailer,” adds Barclay. Meridian Energy through its subsidiary Meridian Energy Australia Pty Ltd has entered Source: Meridian Energy into a conditional agreement with Trustpower Limited for the purchase of GSP Energy Pty Ltd which operates three hydro power stations, the Hume, Burrinjuck and the Keepit

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Renewable energy to power CEFC finance supports cleaner Stawell farm in world-first grid with forecasting 29 December technology at battery ready The Andrews Labor Government will build a major new with battery storage in Oakey Solar Farm Western Victoria that will power the 30 December expansion of Stawell’s Nectar Farms. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is extending its commitment to the 80MW This project will make the advanced (AC) Oakey Solar Farm in south-east agriculture facility the world’s first ever crop Queensland, in an investment that will also farm to be completely powered by renewable deliver forecasting technology to enhance grid energy. stability and energy reliability.

The 15-year Support Agreement between the CEFC Large-Scale Solar lead Gloria Chan today Labor Government and Neoen Australia will confirmed the CEFC would commit $55 million deliver the – an in debt finance to Oakey 2, the 55MW second integrated energy project of a scale and stage of the Oakey Solar Farm. The technology never been seen before. investment builds on the CEFC's earlier a commitment of $19.5 million for the adjacent More than 1,300 jobs will be created – 25 MW Oakey 1 development, which is including 270 direct ongoing jobs in the already under construction. agricultural sector and 10 direct ongoing jobs in the renewable energy industry – all located When completed, the combined 80MW Oakey in the Stawell region. project is expected to deliver enough renewable energy to power around 24,000 The wind farm and battery storage system will Queensland homes. provide reliable and affordable renewable energy to unlock the development of a major "This is an exciting development for the next new advanced agriculture facility in Stawell, generation of Queensland solar, with the with a total expected investment of $665 Oakey project being 'battery ready'," Ms Chan million. said.

The farm will use the latest in hydroponic "A key feature of the CEFC's role in the market glasshouse and plant technology to create a is to encourage critical technologies that assist 40 hectare, state-of-the-art facility to supply in Australia's smooth transition to a cleaner, the highest quality vegetables into domestic more reliable electricity grid. and international markets. "As part of this investment, equity sponsor The co-located 204MW Bulgana Green Power Foresight Solar Fund Limited will collaborate Hub will be backed up by a 20MW battery, with the Australian Energy Market Operator making the farms expansion a reality by (AEMO) to install suitable five-minute providing the secure and affordable energy forecasting technology that can assist AEMO that Nectar Farms needs for its hydroponic enhance grid stability as Australia transitions greenhouses. to higher penetration of renewables."

The project will help secure the Labor The CEFC recently committed $150 million in Government’s greenhouse gas emissions debt finance to stage one of the Lincoln Gap reductions targets of 15 to 20 per cent (from wind farm, in South Australia's Port Augusta 2005 levels) by the year 2020. region. The CEFC financing facility includes finance towards a 10MW battery energy Source: Victoria Government

Page 2 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) storage system, capable of producing up to additional source of income through long- 10MWh of fast response storage capacity. term leasing.

Ms Chan said: "We are pleased to invest in The Foresight Solar Fund Limited announced innovative clean energy projects such as the acquisition of a 49 per cent share in Oakey Oakey and Lincoln Gap, which are at the 1 and 100 per cent interest in Oakey 2 in forefront of a new model of renewable energy October. The Foresight fund's Australian solar development. Both projects will demonstrate portfolio includes the Longreach solar farm in how we can accommodate an increasing Queensland and the in proportion of renewable energy into the Victoria. In addition, Foresight Group, on electricity grid, helping Australia lower behalf of KDB Infrastructure Investments electricity-related emissions while delivering a Asset Management Co. Ltd and Hanwha clean and reliable grid. We expect this trend Energy, acquired the Barcaldine Remote to continue in future projects that we Community Solar Farm in Queensland, which finance." also benefited from CEFC finance.

The CEFC has committed approximately $495 Ricardo Pineiro, Partner of Foresight million in finance towards large-scale solar commented: "We are delighted to be working projects in Queensland, accelerating the alongside the CEFC once again on the development of more than 750MW in large- financing of the Oakey projects. This project scale solar capacity in the Sunshine State. is particularly interesting for the Fund because it will be the first to include forecasting "Our solar investments in Queensland have technology which will help enhance grid supported a number of innovative projects, stability. This is very important as more including the first stage solar farm at the renewables generation gets connected to the Kidston Renewable Energy Hub, which will grid." eventually use pumped hydro as a form of energy storage. We are also financing the Canadian Solar's General Manager Daniel in Queensland, which Ruoss said: "Since 2014, Canadian Solar has integrates wind, solar and battery been investing millions of dollars in technologies," Ms Chan said. Queensland and its world-class solar resources. Through our project developments, "Solar is an increasingly cost-effective energy we are collaborating closely with local solution in areas like Oakey, which have high stakeholders to maximise the benefits for the levels of solar irradiation. It makes sense to region and local communities. increase solar energy generation in these areas alongside investing in complementary "Oakey 2, which will involve 120 construction technologies that enhance the stability of a jobs, is scheduled to commence construction renewables-powered grid." in the first quarter of 2018 and we expect it to be grid connected by the end of 2018." Oakey 2 is being developed by Canadian Solar on an uncontracted or merchant basis. Oakey Source: CEFC 1 secured an offtake agreement from the Queensland Government as well as funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

The development, which is on agricultural land, provides local land owners with the opportunity to improve the resilience of their farming operations by generating an

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Olam signs long term to a much broader range of businesses that don’t necessarily have the scale to negotiate Renewable Corporate PPA one-to-one with large renewable plants. It is a with Flow Power game changer that we expect will allow 3 January Australia to catch up with other international Australia’s fastest growing business power markets that have proven this model to be a retailer, Flow Power, has announced that it success.” He continued; “By working with has entered into a large-scale Renewable Flow Power, companies aim to get the benefit Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) of low cost power in a way that works for with Olam Orchards Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly their business.” owned subsidiary of leading global agribusiness, Olam International Limited Renewable Corporate PPAs allow businesses (Olam). to contribute to a lower carbon economy and reduce overall emissions, as well as The deal, one of the first of its kind in potentially save hundreds of thousands of Australia, allows Olam direct access to secure, dollars in energy costs. cost effective energy with an expected significant reduction in costs over a period of Source: Flow Power 10 years. This renewable power, sourced from , can be used in real time to offset grid electricity consumption, potentially saving thousands of dollars in energy costs. Vestas Australia seeking EOIs

Olam’s Co-Founder and Group CEO, Sunny as part of VRET Verghese, comments: ““We are proud to be Vestas Australia is calling for expressions of one of the first businesses to sign a Corporate interest for a range of work packages in Renewable PPA in Australia. This is in line with relation to its participation in the Victorian our strategy to grow our renewable energy Renewable Energy Targets (VRET) program. portfolio around the world, from solar panels Vestas is participating in VRET as an for cocoa processing in Cote d’lvoire, to equipment supplier to project proponents and harnessing geothermal power for our onion is seeking to engage with capable, local dehydration plants in the USA. These are just suppliers/subcontractors of: a few of our initiatives to tackle climate •hub and tower components change as part of our purpose of ‘Re- •TCI and maintenance imagining global agriculture’. In addition, this •balance of plant construction transaction also provides us energy cost •nacelle components visibility over the longer term”. •blade materials

Flow Power announced the availability of Vestas said it is “committed to providing full, Renewable Corporate PPAs earlier this year, fair and reasonable opportunity for capable with a view to providing Australian businesses local industry to participate across its supply the ability to tap into a global trend that chain opportunities, and reflect our brings energy costs down and benefits both commitment to local industry participation the environment and the economy. and local content”.

Matthew van der Linden, Managing Director Full details available here of Flow Power, comments, “Olam has been a customer of Flow Power for many years. We are very excited for them to be among the first to benefit from our new offering. Our Renewable Corporate PPAs open the market

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PROJECT BRIEFS (the final selection of turbine technology will be determined as part of the detailed design Tilt Renewables applied for an electricity following project approval) generation licence for its planned 52 MW Salt Description: The Project is proposed over 11 Creek Wind Farm near Woorndoo in western freehold lots with a total area of the lots of Victoria. approximately 76,300 hectares (ha). The final

Project construction footprint is anticipated to The Federal Department of the Environment cover around 1,792ha, with an operational & Energy has declared CWP Renewables’ 270 footprint of approximately 828ha. The MW Sapphire Solar Farm and storage project, detailed design stage, when the wind turbine 28km east of Inverell in NSW, a controlled make and model is selected, will be action, and so it will “require assessment and completed and informed by future work on approval under the EPBC Act before it can wind energy modelling from existing onsite proceed”. monitoring masts, geotechnical investigations,

ecological constraints, network capacity The Mareeba Shire Council has approved Tilt connection constraints, and the market for Renewables’ development application for the renewable energy. planned 75 MW Chewko Solar Farm in Contact: Mareeba, northern Queensland. The project James Townsend will consist of ~200,000 solar PV panels Director located on 150 hectares south-west of Tel: (08) 9321 6632 Mareeba on land that is currently used for Email: [email protected] grazing cattle. Grid connection will tie into the

132kv power line which runs between

Turkinje and Yalkula. Construction is expected Name: Desailly Renewable Energy Park to take ~12 months, with about 250 people Developer: DP Energy employed & one to two people during 25 Location: Approximately 75km to the north- years of operation. west of the town of Mareeba and 55km west

of Port Douglas in North Queensland The Victorian Minister for Planning has LGA: Mareeba Shire Council decided that an Environment Effects Capacity: Up to 1000 MW (AC) solar, 400 MW Statement (EES) is not required for Synergy (AC) of battery storage, and up to 3000 MW Wind’s planned Alberton Wind Energy Facility, of synchronous condenser capacity west of Alberton township in South Description: The main permanent Gippsland. The project will provide 460 GWh components of the Project are as follows: of renewable energy per year and is proposed - approximately 10,000,000 solar PV modules; to comprise 34 turbines located on a total - up to 1000 solar PV inverter/transformer footprint area of approximately 59.4ha. stations;

- up to 20 solar PV interconnector substations

containing switchgear and transformers;

- up to two main site substations containing NEW PROJECTS transformers, protection equipment, Name: Clarke Creek Wind Farm switchgear, batteries and other related Developer: Lacour Energy equipment; Location: Clarke Creek, 150km south-west of - two storage/grid support locations Mackay and 30 km west of Ogmore in comprising: Queensland o up to 400MW of energy storage with a LGA: Isaac Regional Council and Livingstone maximum area of 8ha and a maximum height Shire Council of 12m; Capacity: Up to 195 wind turbines of approximately 4.5 MW capacity = 877.5 MW

Page 5 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) o up to 3000MW.s of synchronous condenser 3.Funding support for a pilot project capacity facilities with a maximum area of 8ha and a maximum height of 12m; The Clean Energy Knowledge Sharing Initiative - approximately 180km of solar PV site tracks; is a NSW Department of Planning and - electrical cabling (linking solar arrays); Environment program. Applications will be - security fencing (nominally 2.4m high) accepted and processed on an ongoing basis, around the solar PV sites; with applications accepted no later than 28 - two access locations from the Mulligan February 2018, or until all funding has been Highway committed. Contact: Gabrielle Powell To learn more about the program: DP Energy Australia Pty Ltd •Download our program flyer Tel: (07) 4095 2877 •Read about our eligibility requirements Email: [email protected] •Apply for the case study stream •Apply for the feasibility study and pilot stream

NSW Clean Energy Knowledge For more information, contact the Clean Energy Programs Unit of the Department of Sharing Initiative Planning and Environment on 02 8229 2837 or NSW is transitioning to a clean energy future. [email protected]. There is a clear role for innovative business models and technologies to help manage this transition and to help NSW achieve the Clean Energy Finance objective of net-zero emissions by 2050. Corporation statutory review: The NSW Clean Energy Knowledge Sharing public consultation Initiative can support you as an early adopter The Department of the Environment and of a new clean energy technology or business Energy is overseeing a review of the operation model. of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act

2012, in line with section 81 of that Act. The The initiative aims to share stories, break review is being conducted by Deloitte Touche down barriers and directly support clean Tohmatsu, and will consider the effectiveness energy projects. of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation in

facilitating increased flows of finance into the A project supported under the initiative will clean energy sector. employ a low-emissions or zero emissions technology in a way that is novel to NSW. For The review invites public submissions, which example, your clean energy project might will be considered prior to the completion of a include: review report. A copy of the review report will •Deploying an energy storage system to shift be tabled in Parliament in line with the load during the day requirements of the Act. •Testing a new electricity trading platform, retail model or financing mechanism The Consultation paper is open for public •Developing and testing a new bioenergy comment until 16 February 2018. clean energy source.

Further details are available here. We are currently accepting applications for three streams of the initiative: Source: Department of Environment & Energy 1.Development of a case study

2.Funding support for a feasibility study

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SolarReserve achieves key As part of SolarReserve’s project development process, the company collaborates with milestone in development of stakeholders and local communities to ensure South Australia’s first solar the project has minimal environmental impact while working to maximise benefits for local thermal power station communities. The Aurora Solar Energy Project 9 January has had overwhelming support from not only SolarReserve has received Development the Port Augusta and South Australian Approval for its Aurora Solar Energy Project, a community but a range of local agencies and key milestone required to build the landmark organisations including the local Barngarla 150 megawatt solar thermal power station 30 Aboriginal Group. The Aurora Solar Energy kilometers north of Port Augusta. The Project is on schedule with final approvals approval process examined a range of critical expected in the first half of 2018 and elements including environmental, construction expected to commence shortly community, and social impacts of the Aurora thereafter. project, which were assessed by several South Australian Government agencies. Dispatchable Electricity, Day and Night Development Approval is a legal document The first of its kind in Australia, the Aurora which enables SolarReserve to construct the Solar Energy Project will utilise SolarReserve’s Aurora project, provided the construction world leading solar thermal technology with complies with the submitted plans and any integrated molten salt energy storage. Aurora conditions outlined in the Development will generate electricity and collect and store Approval. the sun’s energy during the daytime – in essence ‘charging’ its own salt battery for use “It’s fantastic that SolarReserve has received after the sun has set. The power station will development approval to move forward with provide the equivalent electricity needs of all this world-leading project that will deliver of the State’s schools, hospitals, police clean, dispatchable renewable energy to stations, and government buildings over a full supply our electrified rail, hospitals, schools year. and other major government buildings,” said South Australia’s Acting Energy Minister Chris Aurora’s massive 1,100 megawatt-hours of Picton. “This approval triggers an investment storage will provide 8 hours of full load power of about $650 million, will create a total of after dark. This means that, from storage (its about 700 construction and ongoing jobs in ‘salt battery’) alone, Aurora will be capable of Port Augusta and will add new competition to powering South Australia far in excess of State the South Australian market, putting Government buildings, the equivalent of over downward pressure on power prices.” 230,000 homes for 8 hours, or around 35% of all of the households in South Australia. “This important milestone is a significant step in the development of the Aurora solar Creating Jobs and Economic Benefits for South thermal power station, which will bring Australia – Today and Tomorrow SolarReserve’s world-leading clean power Because a solar thermal power station generation technology to South Australia,” operates like a conventional coal or gas power said SolarReserve’s CEO Kevin Smith. “The station, many of the jobs require the same remarkable story of the transition of Port skill sets as conventional energy jobs – from Augusta from coal to renewable energy – its construction phase through to operations. which won a competitive tender against fossil Aurora is an example of how sustainable fuel – is also a preview of the future of power solutions are able to foster new industries and generation around the world.” create new jobs for South Australia: • 4,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs will Minimising Environmental Impact while be created during construction, with a Maximising Local Benefits

Page 7 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) significant portion of those created in South thermal projects in South Australia and the Australia broader region • 650 full time construction jobs are expected for a duration of 30 months As part of this transformative project, • 50 full-time, permanent jobs will be SolarReserve will be establishing a research required for operations and maintenance partnership with South Australian universities • Equipment and services will be purchased to advance solar thermal research and across South Australia, which will support an education in South Australia. entirely new industry and develop a supply chain, which will be leveraged for other solar Source: Solar Reserve

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