The new facility, Berrybank 2, has an installed capacity of 109 MW and will produce clean energy to power over 71,000 homes in the state of Victoria. Commencement of operation of the new wind farm coincides with the 15th anniversary of the energy group’s activity in Australia, a priority country for the company’s renewable energy development due to its huge potential for energy transition. Naturgy aims to reach an installed capacity of 2.2 GW by 2025, focused on the development of wind technology, photovoltaic solar and energy storage system plants.
Through its international power generation subsidiary, Global Power Generation (GPG), Naturgy has begun to operate its third wind farm in Australia, Berrybank 2, increasing the company’s total installed capacity in the country to 395 MW. The company also recently inaugurated the ACT Battery in Australia, the group’s first utility-scale battery energy storage facility worldwide.
The new Berrybank 2 Wind Farm is located in the Corangamite & Golden Plains local government areas of south-west Victoria, 150 kilometres from Melbourne. The facility has an installed capacity of 109 MW from 26 wind turbines, which will generate 390 GWh of clean energy per year, equivalent to the electricity consumption of 71,000 households.
The total investment amounted to 236 million Australian dollars (144 million euros) and will offset the emission of 390,000 tonnes of equivalent CO2, enabling Australia to move forward in its energy transition towards cleaner generation technologies.
Naturgy’s new renewable facility is the second phase of the Berrybank 1 Wind Farm, that has been in operation since 2021. Berrybank 2 Wind Farm was awarded a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government in September 2020. This is Naturgy’s third renewable energy generation project in Australia, following the Crookwell 2 Wind Farm and Berrybank 1 Wind Farm.
15th anniversary in Australia
The commencement of operations of the Berrybank 2 Wind Farm coincides with the celebration of Naturgy’s 15th anniversary in Australia, a priority country for the group due to its huge potential in energy transition. Naturgy aims to reach an installed capacity of 2.2 GW by 2025, focused on the development of wind technology, photovoltaic solar and energy storage system plants.
In addition to the four facilities already under operation, Naturgy is working on a solid portfolio of construction and advanced development projects totalling 1.5 GW of power, concentrated in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland. The projects currently under construction, scheduled for commissioning in 2024, are the 218 MW Ryan Corner Wind Farm, 58 MW Crookwell 3 Wind Farm and 97 MW Hawkesdale Wind Farm, as well as the Cunderdin hybrid solar and battery energy storage project.
Cunderdin is a clear example of this commitment to Australia as it is the first large-scale dc-coupled hybrid project under construction in the country, with an investment of 172 million euros. The plant will have an installed solar photovoltaic capacity of 128 MW and a battery storage energy system of 55MW/220 MWh.
“Naturgy’s purpose in Australia has always been to build a solid renewable portfolio capable of providing clean energy sources and contributing to the development of rural and regional communities. We celebrate this fifteenth anniversary with our sights set on the future and with a solid commitment to this country, second only to Spain in terms of growth volume according to Naturgy’s current strategic plan”, says Francisco Bustío, Chief Executive Officer of GPG.
The company operates in the country via its subsidiary GPG, which was set up in 2014 holding a 75% majority stake together with Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), that holds the remaining 25%. GPG manages a total installed capacity over 4,000 MW and employs approximately 500 people worldwide.
