News

EDP Renewables has hit the ground running after acquiring ITP Development with its extensive Australian project book (see the project table below as confirmed by EDPR Australia).

Spain-based EDPR now has project development rights to 23 solar farm and BESS projects in New South Wales and Queensland, with a total potential capacity of more than 1550 MW.

All but four have development approvals, with two unknown, and most are based on the same model coming in at around 5 MW AC capacity and so avoiding AEMO’s more stringent connection regulations.

Two exceptions are the 15 MW Yoogali Solar farm in NSW, and the 11.5 MW Molonglo BESS in the ACT.

EDPR will also now control larger-scale proposals the 450 MW Merino Solar Farm in Tirrannaville, near Goulburn NSW, which will have an up to 300 MW BESS attached to it, and another in Queensland which includes 480 MW of solar and 200 MW battery capacity. EDPR Australia was unable to elaborate on the location or other details of this Queensland project at the moment.

Over several years ITP Development was highly successful at selecting sites for its sub-5 MW solar farm project model and gaining the relevant council approvals.

One exception was the proposed Burrundulla Solar Farm near Mudgee in NSW, which was rejected by the Western Regional Planning Panel. An appeal against this decision by ITP was dismissed by the NSW Land and Environment Court late last year, and the project will no longer go ahead.

EDPR Australia is part of the multi-national EDP Renewables group, which describes itself as the fourth largest renewable energy producer in the world. It views Australia “as a market with strong fundamentals and ample depth in renewables”.

APAC is considered to be one of EDPR’s four regional hubs, “which together account for more than 26 GW of installed capacity worldwide, of which more than 22 GW is in solar, wind, and hydro projects”. The company is aiming to reach 50 GW of renewable energy by 2030 to become a 100% renewable player.

The ITP Development team, including country director Simon Franklin and portfolio manager Mishka Talent, become part of EDP Renewables APAC.