The Victorian Government has approved the construction of a 330-megawatt solar farm near Geelong.
Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny has greenlit the Barwon Solar Farm, which will have the capacity to power nearly 140,000 homes annually.
The project also includes a proposed 250-megawatt Battery Energy Storage Systеm (BESS), capable of meeting evening peak demand for more than 86,000 homes.
“Fast-tracking renewable energy projects like this one means we can deliver more Victorians cheaper and cleaner power sooner,” Kilkenny said.
The development has been supported by the Albanese Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme, designed to ensure enough renewable energy and storage is built to replace retiring coal-fired generators.
State Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio emphasised the importance of such projects in meeting Victoria’s renewable energy targets.
“We need to bring even more renewable energy projects online to ensure more Victorians can access cheaper and cleaner power – helping us get to our 95 per cent renewable energy by 2035,” she said.
The approval comes as part of the Victorian Government’s expanded Development Facilitation Program, which was broadened in 2024 to fast-track renewable energy and battery storage projects.
Since then, ten projects worth over $1 billion have been approved, with the potential to power more than 470,000 homes.
State Member for Lara, Ella George, welcomed the investment in local energy infrastructure.
“We need cleaner and cheaper power here in Victoria, and this project will power around 140,000 homes, while also creating jobs and injecting more money into our local economy,” she said.
At the federal level, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen highlighted the role of renewables in Australia’s energy transition.
“The Government is bringing on more of the cheapest form of energy this decade, with our national grid now at more than 40 percent reliable renewables,” he said.
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