The Denmark-based solar and battery storage developer European Energy has sealed long-term agreements with traditional owners in Queensland that cover three of its major solar and battery projects, including the first gigawatt-scale PV project in Australia.
The 30-year agreements establish long-term frameworks for cultural heritage protection and financial contributions to traditional owner communities and relate to three solar and battery projects – Upper Calliope, Bullyard, and Tyrone.
Upper Calliope will be the biggest of them all, and at 1.1 gigawatts (GWac) will be the first gigawatt scale solar project to be built in Australia. It also has a 25-year power purchase agreement with Rio Tinto to help power its giant smelters and refineries in Gladstone, and European Energy is also looking at adding a 1.1 GW, 4.4 GWh battery at the site.
European Energy is looking to reach financial close on the project before the end of this financial year, and at like other gigawatt scale projects is looking for finance and possible equity partners in the project.
The smaller 100 MW Bullyard solar and battery project near Bundaberg is likely to be the first to begin construction, given its smaller scale and because it has also locked in a power purchase agreement with Amazon, as well as an underwriting deal with the federal government under the Capacity Investment Scheme.
The Tyrone project is sized at around 400 MW, also near Gladstone, is in its early stages of development.
European Energy says the First Nations agreements have been struck with the Bailai, Gurang, Gooreng Gooreng and Taribelang Bunda peoples, the traditional owners and native title holders of the Bundaberg and Gladstone regions, and which are represented by the FNBGGGTB Group.
“Developing renewable energy projects requires long-term cooperation with the communities and landholders involved,” said Catriona McLeod, the managing director of European Energy Australia.
“These agreements establish a framework for progressing our projects while protecting cultural heritage and ensuring that the Traditional Owners share in the benefits generated over the lifetime of the projects.”
Matthew Cooke, the CEO of FNBGGGTB, says the group has been working with European Energy for three or four years. “The renewables transition offers exciting opportunities for First Nations people and these partnerships allow us to maximise those opportunities,” he said in a statement.
The Clean Energy Council recognised the partnership between European Energy and the FNBGGGTB Group in 2025, when the organisations received its First Nations Engagement and Participation Award.
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Giles Parkinson
Giles Parkinson is founder and editor-in-chief of Renew Economy, and founder and editor of its EV-focused sister site The Driven. He is the co-host of the weekly Energy Insiders Podcast. Giles has been a journalist for more than 40 years and is a former deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review. You can find him on LinkedIn and on Twitter.
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