GLOBAL

Lightsource bp on track to develop 600MW solar hub in NSW, Australia

Sydney, Australia – Lightsource bp, a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects, and 50:50 JV with bp, has secured planning approval for upscaling plans for the Wellington North solar project, which was acquired from AGL last year. The 400MWdc site is adjacent to Lightsource bp’s near-complete 200MWdc Wellington solar farm. Once operational, the 600MWdc hub could become the state’s largest renewable energy power hub.

Adam Pegg, Country Manager – Lightsource bp Australia said: “We are very excited about the planning approval of our Wellington North solar farm; this is an important step forward in our ambition to help Australia transition to a lower carbon future. In a few years our 600MWdc Wellington solar hub will be producing 1,173,000MWh of renewable electricity – the equivalent to powering 170,000 Australian homes – saving 938,000 carbon emissions annually.”

Lightsource bp’s Wellington North solar farm will use 1.2 million bifacial solar panels – contributing to NSW’s ambition to increase its share of renewable energy to more than 60 percent by 2030 while also playing a critical role in helping bp meet its net zero ambitions.

Frédéric Baudry, president, bp Australia and SVP fuels & low carbon solutions, Asia Pacific said: “This exciting development is further affirmation of bp’s strategy of growing our low carbon businesses and transitioning from an International Oil Company to an Integrated Energy Company. We are proud to be progressing strong positions in renewables and contributing to Australia’s, and bp’s, net zero by 2050 ambitions.”

Economic opportunities despite COVID-19 challenges demonstrate the reliability of solar

Despite the global challenges of COVID-19, solar power continues to demonstrate its resilience and reliability. The solar farm will provide direct economic stimulus in Wellington by creating 400 local employment opportunities during construction.

Local benefits beyond solar

Alongside providing locally generated renewable energy and creating new jobs, the Wellington North solar farm has been designed to benefit the local environment and community. During the planning process, an information event was held to allow members of the local community to view and discuss the planned proposal, which was positively received. Throughout the planning process, Lightsource bp also engaged with specialists to provide impact assessment and expertise in key areas, including biodiversity and Aboriginal heritage.

Lightsource bp has designed the project to protect and enhance 163 ha of native vegetation and fauna habitat on the project site, including 232 hollow-bearing trees. Lightsource bp, in consultation with Aboriginal stakeholders, has also designed the project to preserve Aboriginal heritage items, including two scarred trees which provide Aboriginal people with an important link to their culture and their past. The items located within the development site will be salvaged and collected prior to construction commencing and relocated to a suitable location on the project site.

Lightsource bp will also further its partnership with the Clontarf Foundation, through increasing its contribution to their local academy in Wellington, which aims to improve the education and employment prospects of young Aboriginal men through its activities.

Lightsource bp shines in Australia

Wellington North is the latest to join Lightsource bp’s portfolio of solar projects in Australia designed to help the country meet its renewable energy goals while also lowering power prices and benefiting local communities.

Since partnering with bp in 2017 and entering the market in 2018, Lightsource bp has developed a significant pipeline of large-scale solar projects across Australia. Together, Wellington North, Wellington, West Wyalong and Woolooga solar farms exceed over 900MWdc and once operational, will make Lightsource bp one of the largest solar developers to own and operate in Australia.

Find out more about our Wellington North solar farm.

Related news

09 Oct, 2024

The overlooked quick win for European renewables

Despite significant growth in renewable energy, the sector is calling for more grid investment and faster permitting to unlock its full potential.

Read Story

07 Oct, 2024

Lightsource bp joins new World Economic Forum coalition to accelerate responsible renewable infrastructure deployment 

Lightsource bp has joined industry peers, environmental non-profits and the World Economic Forum (WEF) to launch the Responsible Renewables Infrastructure Coalition.

Read Story

30 Sep, 2024

Lightsource bp founder recognised with UK solar achievement award

Lightsource bp co-founder, Nick Boyle, has been recognised by the UK Solar & Storage Live Awards with the lifetime achievement accolade.

Read Story

30 Sep, 2024

How the solar industry is setting the pace for economic growth

New employment data for the solar industry in Europe has revealed the continued growth of job creation in the sector in 2023.

Read Story

25 Sep, 2024

Lightsource bp and Schroders Greencoat: Partnering for the future

The scalable and flexible nature of solar power lends itself well to collaborations and partnerships.

Read Story

23 Sep, 2024

How energy storage is boosting the benefits of solar

The rapid pace of the energy transition demands that we remain constantly evolving, and battery energy storage is an agile option to provide that service.

Read Story

16 Sep, 2024

Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chuseok: Embracing diversity across Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan

At Lightsource bp, our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is central to who we are as a company.

Read Story

30 Aug, 2024

Taking time out for our wellbeing day-off

To encourage healthy work-life balance, this year we once again rewarded our team members with an extra day of annual leave to focus on their wellbeing.

Read Story

27 Aug, 2024

New Zealand: Kōwhai Park solar farm breaks ground

We’re pleased to share that our Kōwhai Park solar farm in Christchurch, New Zealand, has officially broken ground following the project’s successful financial close.

Read Story

20 Aug, 2024

Lightsource bp accelerates growth in Germany by signing 500MWp Development Agreement with Kajoni Energie GmbH  

Lightsource bp plans to realise a development pipeline of over 500MWp in Germany over the next two to three years, focusing on projects of at least 20MW.

Read Story