Victoria’s first state-owned solar and battery hybrid project, the SEC Renewable Energy Park in Horsham, has completed the installation of all 212,296 PV modules and accepted delivery of a 162.5-tonne transformer that will be used to connect the project to the grid.
The $370 million, 119 megawatt (MW) solar farm and 100 MW, 200 megawatt-hour (MWh) big battery was acquired by the State Electricity Commission (SEC) almost exactly one year ago and construction kicked off near the Horsham sub station and existing transmission line.
“It’s incredible to see how far the SEC Renewable Energy Park – Horsham has come in just one year, with construction advancing across both the solar and battery storage components,” said Lane Crockett, SEC’s executive general manager for assets.
“The project is creating local jobs, developing skills for the next generation, and building the renewable energy infrastructure Victoria needs.”
The solar and battery project formerly known as the Horsham solar farm had been one of the winners of the Victorian government’s VRET2 renewables auction in 2022, under the ownership of Esco Pacific.
Esco Pacific sold the undeveloped project to Swedish developer OX2, before it was sold again, in September of 2024, to an unnamed buyer. Two months later, the SEC announced it would buy and co-develop the renamed SEC Renewable Energy Park – Horsham, and double the planned battery component.
Crockett says work on the battery component of the energy park will continue into next year, ahead of its expected commercial operational in 2027.
“The solar panels, battery works, and overall site progress show the scale and pace of one of Australia’s first 100% publicly owned utility-scale renewable energy projects,” he said on Wednesday.
Once completed and operational, the SEC Renewable Energy Park – Horsham will be capable of generating around 242,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy a year, power equivalent to the needs of around 51,000 homes.
This will also be the first energy generator in Victoria to be 100 per cent owned by the government, as well as one of Australia’s first integrated solar and battery projects to be connected through a single grid connection point.
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Joshua S Hill
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.
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