Project Update Week ending 9 August 2019 SIMEC Energy Australia’s Playford Utility Battery gains Development Approval 1 August SIMEC Energy Australia, a member of Sanjeev continuing to enhance retail electricity Gupta’s global GFG Alliance, today welcomed competition within South Australia.” Development Approval for the 100MW Playford Utility Battery which will be built just The Playford Battery has a nominal capacity of outside of Port Augusta (~ 320km north of 100MW/100MWh, placing it at an equal Adelaide in South Australia). power output to the Neoen/Tesla Hornsdale Power Reserve battery outside of Jamestown Following the submission of a comprehensive in the north of South Australia. The battery Development Application, and subsequent also has the capacity to provide a peak review by the South Australian Government, response of 135MW when demand is at its the South Australian Minister for Planning, highest. Once energised, the Playford Battery the Hon Stephan Knoll MP, has now signed off will complement the output of our Cultana on the SIMEC Energy Australia Application to Solar Farm and provide several innovative build one of the largest batteries in the world. services to the grid which include: - Market arbitrage: Charging the battery at SIMEC Energy Australia CEO, Mr Marc times of high energy output from renewable Barrington, welcomed news of this important sources in the region, including the nearby next step for the project: “Securing Cultana Solar Farm, and discharging that Development Approval is another important energy into the grid at peak times. milestone in SIMEC Energy Australia’s work to - Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS): invest US$1Billion to deliver 1GW of vital Providing frequency support to the grid to dispatchable renewable energy to the support system security. National Electricity Market. - Fast Frequency Response (FFR): Providing frequency support to the grid, with response Delivering this important firming asset into times typically quicker than traditional FCAS the National Electricity Market, will provide to further protect users of the national greater stability and enable SIMEC Energy electricity grid and enable new renewable Australia to provide globally competitive energy generation such as the nearby Cultana energy to our customers. The battery will Solar Farm. provide significant benefits for the region and energy users who partner with SIMEC Energy National Significance, Local Benefits Australia for their energy needs. The Playford Battery will provide greater stability to the grid as Australia transitions to This asset is also being considered under the a low carbon economy and will further ARENA Advancing Renewables Program. This support the Port Augusta community in their funding, if realised, will bring this project to goal to be a leader in renewable energy. life – enabling its delivery – as well as Page 1 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) SIMEC Energy Australia expects the project to 7th August 2019. People can drop in any time provide up to 50 jobs during construction and between 3pm and 7pm to speak to staff from is committed to looking to the local workforce both companies. first, in order to fill these positions. The solar installation would have a capacity of SIMEC Energy Australia will also establish a approximately 100MW, generating enough community benefit fund, which will deliver clean and renewable energy to power 34,700 funding grants throughout the life of the households and save 167,000 tonnes of project, through an independent committee. carbon emissions every year, the equivalent of removing 60,300 cars from the roads. The Environmental Focus construction of the proposed installation Following on from SIMEC Energy Australia’s would also create around 300 skilled environmental focus for the delivery of the construction jobs in the region, as well as 2 to Cultana Solar Farm, the Playford Battery has 3 on-going roles during operation. been designed to minimise its environmental impact. The facility has been designed to Since South Australia has pledged to achieve minimise its footprint and utilises only 50% renewable energy by 2025, the approximately 3ha of the 8ha of land installation Lightsource BP is proposing, and available. others like it, will make an important contribution to this target. The SIMEC Energy Australia team will also continue to work proactively with local bodies The proposal design ensures 15ha of native in completing the project Construction vegetation will be retained and impacts on Environmental Management Plan. waterways will be avoided. The solar farm is also designed to allow for sheep grazing Source: SIMEC Energy beneath and between the rows of panels, preserving an agricultural co-use alongside NEW PROJECT solar energy generation. Lightsource BP solar Plans unveiled for new solar in installations can also support bee keeping, which may be an additional co-use for the Mannum, SA land in the future. 1 August Lightsource BP and Golder, the consultancy Adam Pegg, Country Manager, Australia at appointed to undertake environmental Lightsource BP said: planning and community engagement, are “We are hosting this information evening to hosting a community information event in have an open and transparent discussion with Mannum, to outline the Lightsource BP residents. It’s an opportunity for us to present proposal to fund, build and operate a solar our plans, research and further information project on 540 acres of land approximately about our business and have a two- way 3km west of Mannum town centre, discussion with residents. During the event, SA.Lightsource BP wishes to give residents we aim to discuss why the land area has been and interested parties an opportunity to find chosen and the benefits of our proposals.” out more about this proposal and about the company. As well as developing sites, Residents can obtain further information on Lightsource BP manages those sites, and as the project, at any time, by calling Hannah part of that long-term approach, hope to Keynes on (08) 8213 2130, or emailing establish a good relationship with its [email protected]. neighbours. Source: Lightsource BP The event will be held at The Barn, Mannum Motel, 76 Cliff Street Mannum on Wednesday Page 2 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) Committed project: Wyalong Windlab’s Kennedy Energy Solar Farm Park connected and energised 2 August 5 August Australian utility scale solar project developer Windlab Limited (“WND” or “the Company”) ESCO Pacific is pleased to announce the today announced that the Kennedy Energy achievement of the final development Park project in North Queensland has been milestone for its Wyalong Solar Farm, connected to the electricity grid and following acceptance of an Offer to Connect energised. First export of electricity from the from the local grid operator Essential Energy a energy park is expected in mid-August after a few weeks ago. The project is now Committed compulsory “hold point zero” period to allow with AEMO. The 70MWp solar farm will be the network operator to conduct background located at West Wyalong in New South Wales. power quality testing. The project received planning approval in The project will then commence early 2019 and will create over 200 jobs in commissioning and testing, and progressively NSW. Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob exporting electricity to the network, initially Stokes said at the time “the West Wyalong under a 5MW export limit until AEMO solar farm will add to the hub of solar energy registers the project as a generator in projects in the Riverina region, bringing a September. Formal commercial operation is fresh boost to the economy and diversifying expected in Q419. industry for the region”. ESCO Pacific’s Wyalong Solar Farm is expected to power up “We are excited to reach this important to 37,500 homes and has the potential to save milestone in the project” said Roger Price, up to 212,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas Executive Chairman and CEO of WND. “Nearly emissions once fully operational. all renewable generators in Australia have Commissioning is due to commence in mid- found grid connection challenging in the past 2020. 18 months. Being the first project to implement both a statcom and synchronous The project will build on ESCO Pacific’s strong condenser in Ergon’s network has meant track record in delivering utility scale solar Kennedy is no exception. developments, and will shortly bring the company’s total Australian developments However, the persistence and technical generating or under construction to 566MWp. capability of the WND team has paid off. We Most recently, ESCO Pacific developed and look forward to completing the registration managed the financing and construction of and commissioning work over coming months the 175MWp Finley solar farm, which has as the project is placed into full service.” contracted 66% of its output to BlueScope Steel under a long-term power purchase Kennedy Energy Park is the world’s first hybrid agreement. wind-solar-battery power plant, jointly developed and owned by Windlab and Eurus ESCO Pacific is currently the asset manager for Energy Holdings. It is located near Hughenden 353MWp of Australian utility scale solar in North Queensland and comprises 43MW of projects, and has a further pipeline of projects wind turbines, 18MW of solar panels and a under development totalling in excess of 4MWh battery. 1GW. Source: Windlab Source: Esco Pacific Page 3 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) Muja Power Station in Collie to Synergy's Muja Power Station is the oldest power station in WA, and the generation be scaled back from 2022 output for units 5 & 6 within Muja C continues 5 August to decline - they are only being used around - Staged retirement of Muja Power Station's 35 per cent of the time. two C units from October 1, 2022 - The Muja C units are WA's oldest power The reduced demand means the 40 year-old generators and demand for the two C units units are not being deployed as designed.