Independent renewable energy company SmartestEnergy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Neoen Australia.
Under the agreement, SmartestEnergy will buy 50 per cent of the energy output from Neoen’s Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales.
The Culcairn Solar Farm, currently under construction on Wiradjuri country in the Riverina region, is set to be operational by 2026. With a substantial generating capacity of 440 megawatts peak, 350 megawatts of alternative current, the project is poised to make a significant contribution to NSW’s energy supply.
“This agreement with Neoen underscores our purpose in the market to support the renewable transition. By partnering with Neoen, we continue to provide renewable energy solutions for our customers, and we can play our part in ensuring that the transition in Australia keeps pace,” SmartestEnergy Australia chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Owens said.
The Culcairn Solar Farm is expected to yield significant environmental benefits, potentially displacing around 648,000 tonnes of CO2 annually – equivalent to removing 217,000 cars from the road.
The project is also set to deliver substantial economic advantages to the local community, creating up to 400 construction jobs and seven permanent positions once operational.
“We are delighted to sign our first PPA with SmartestEnergy, and we sincerely thank them for placing their trust in us,” Neoen Australia CEO Jean-Christophe Cheylus said,
“Construction of Culcairn Solar Farm is progressing well, and we are looking forward to the major contribution the project will play in powering businesses as well as supporting NSW’s rapid energy transition.”
The solar farm will generate enough energy to power 160,000 homes and implement a community benefit-sharing program totalling $10 million over its lifetime.
For more renewable and solar news, subscribe to ecogeneration.