Project Update Week ending 2 October 2020 Harnessing the wind 27 September Epuron is investigating an area 40km south west of Rockhampton and 5km west of Mount Morgan in central Queensland as a potential site for a wind farm. On-site studies, surveys and wind monitoring ACCIONA invests in the future are underway, and Epuron is liaising with landowners and the Queensland Government of renewable energy through to determine planning assessment its support of the APRETC requirements. Epuron has also referred the 28 September proposed project, called Boulder Creek Wind - The future of the renewable energy sector Farm, to the Federal Department of the looks a lot brighter with Federation University Environment under the Environment recently confirming that it will be proceeding Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act with plans to establish the Asia Pacific 1999 (EPBC Act) for guidance on possible Renewable Energy Tech-Transition Centre impacts to the local natural environment. (APRETC) - The state-of-the-art facility, to be located at After requirements have been determined, the University’s Mt Helen Campus, will help to the planning and assessment process will take meet the renewable energy sector’s place over the next 12 months. This will increasing demand for a skilled workforce include further surveys and work to optimise the project’s design. Throughout the process The suggestion of a Victorian based training updates will be provided to the local facility was first raised by renewable energy community, other interested parties and industry members as part of the Victorian online at bouldercreekwindfarm.com.au. Renewable Energy Target (VRET) reverse auction, which was held back in September The Boulder Creek Wind Farm would 2018. contribute a long-term and low cost source of electricity to the Queensland grid, and support The training facility has received funding from the Queensland Government’s integrated several industry figures, with ACCIONA one of energy plan and target of 50% renewable the first organisations to support the idea and energy generation by 2030. In addition to commit financial assistance. To date, APRETC contributing direct economic benefits to the has secured close to $2 million in industry local region, with a proposed 50-65 turbines funding, with ACCIONA’s contribution helping the potential generating capacity of the project to bring to life a technical training module, is up to 360 megawatts (MW). This is including a specialised safety and heights equivalent to the power required to supply component, compliant with the Global Wind around 170,000 Queensland homes. Organisation’s training standards. Source: Epuron Page 1 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) Construction on the centre is slated to begin Work set to start on New in 2021, and once completed, will act as a vehicle to deliver vocational training that will England Solar Farm as lead support the need for skilled employees. contractor appointed 28 September It is anticipated that over the next 10 years The lead contractor has been appointed for APRETEC will help to train and educate over the 400MW first stage works for the New 10,000 students with the specialist training England Solar Farm and Battery project – centre scheduled to be up and running in signaling the start of construction works early 2021. It will also provide a national training in 2021. pathway for turbine and blade technicians, something not currently on offer anywhere in The signing of the Engineering, Procurement Australia. and Construction (EPC) agreement with a lead contractor is another key commitment ACCIONA’s Australian Managing Director for required for the project to proceed. The New Energy, Brett Wickham, said that he was England Solar Farm is being developed by extremely proud to support the initiative. leading renewable energy developer UPC\AC “ACCIONA is committed to the professional Renewables Australia across two sections of success and the development of our land near Uralla in the New England region of employees, continuously investing in the NSW. advancement of our professional talent. Initiatives like this provide us with an The solar farm and battery project will be built opportunity to support the next generation of in two stages, creating up to 700 jobs at the talent and opens the door for others to join us peak of construction and around 15 ongoing and be part of this fantastic industry”. jobs over the life of the solar farm. The first 400MW (AC) stage and the 33/330 kilovolt “If Australia is serious about making the move (kV) substation will be installed by Elecnor on to renewables, we need to supply the talent the northern section of the site. The first to match the demand, and the APRETC will go stage of the associated 400MWh battery a long way to help support this growth” said project, a 50MW/1hour Battery Energy Wickham. Storage System (BESS) capable of dispatching energy to the grid at times of high energy Source: ACCIONA Australia demand, will be constructed with the support of the NSW Government’s Emerging Energy Program. PROJECT NEWS Molong Solar Farm The New England Solar Farm received Construction of Amp Energy's 39 MW DC development consent from the NSW Molong Solar Farm in in the Central West Independent Planning Commission in March region of New South Wales is entering its final 2020. stages, with energisation expected by the end of the year. The $70mil project is Amp's first The grid connection agreement with investment in Australia. TransGrid, the owner and operator of the NSW electricity transmission network, was signed in June 2020, which will allow the project to connect to the existing 330kV line that crosses the solar farm site. Once fully constructed, the project is expected to produce 1,800,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean, renewable electricity each year; enough Page 2 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) to power more than 250,000 typical NSW England Solar Farm project, as well as ongoing homes. operation and maintenance services in the first two years of operations. The first round of the Uralla Grants program that is being funded by the solar farm was A number of local businesses and contractors launched this month, with $100,000 in the have already been working on the project, first year and ongoing funding tied to the including surveying, engineering design and completion of the project. geotechnical studies. The project will deploy single axis tracking We hope to hold further information sessions technology that will allow solar panels to over the coming months for local businesses follow the path of the sun, while also allowing and contractors that are interested in sub- adequate space for sheep to continue grazing contracting or other work opportunities with on the land in between and underneath the the project. panels. Source: UPC/AC Renewables The first stage works are expected to be completed over the next two years. PROJECT NEWS UPC\AC Renewables CEO Anton Rohner said Winterbourne Wind Farm the agreement was a major milestone for the Winterbourne Wind Pty Ltd has been asked to project, the local community and UPC\AC prepare an EIS for its proposed wind farm Renewables. project for submission to the NSW Department of Planning& Environment. The “Not only are we providing clean energy to proposed project is located approximately 6.5 the grid, with the support of the NSW km north east of Walcha and 7 km south east government we are providing dispatchable of Uralla within the Walcha and Uralla Shire energy, in the form of a 50MWh battery. It local government areas, and includes the will provide much needed jobs and an construction, operation and decommissioning injection of capital into the New England of a wind farm with an estimated capacity of region. We’ve been working very closely with 700 megawatts (MW), a maximum of 126 the local Uralla community and our other turbines and a maximum height of 250 metres stakeholders on this project for the past three (to blade tip). It also includes a battery of 100 years. It is exciting to reach this milestone. An MW/200 MWh capacity and 30km of new upgrade to the local roads connecting to the 330kV overhead transmission line connecting solar farm is already progressed, as well as with the Transgrid network at a new completion of environmental management switchyard which is also proposed to be used plans. We expect to start on-site construction for Walcha Energy’s Salisbury Solar Farm as of the first stage of the solar farm in 2021.” part of the Uralla Hub. Elecnor Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elecnor S.A, has been appointed by UPC\AC Renewables as the EPC contractor to deliver the first 400MW (AC) stage of the project including the substation works. Elecnor is a highly experienced international company that specialises in the development, engineering and construction of renewable energy infrastructure and space technologies. It will be responsible for the detailed design, engineering and procurement of the New Page 3 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) Dundonnell Wind Farm update TLT confirms the previously stated FY21 EBITDAF range of A$65m to A$80m, assuming 29 September P50 wind conditions. Tilt Renewables Limited (“TLT”) provides this update on progress with commissioning of the Source: Tilt Renewables 336MW Dundonnell Wind Farm (“DDWF”) located in Western Victoria. With all 80 turbines erected and major site infrastructure works complete, construction CSIRO to cut emissions activities at the site are now limited to through renewable power deal rehabilitation and demobilisation. TLT is 29 September pleased to confirm there have been no Lost CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has Time Injuries recorded during construction of signed a 10-year renewable power purchase the project.