Renewables developer Edify Energy is seeking federal environmental approval for a proposed 2.4 gigawatt-hour (GWh) solar and battery project in northwest Victoria.
The proposed Nowingi Solar Power Station would be Australia’s largest eight-hour battery system to date.
It includes a 300 MW (AC) solar farm co-located with a 300 MW / 2,400 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) on a 639-hectare site, about 50 kilometres south of Mildura.
The facility would connect to the grid via a new substation and AusNet’s existing 220 kV transmission line that crosses the site.
Reportedly under assessment through the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the site supports both cropping and grazing.
Edify’s referral states the final design will allow “for the continued agricultural use of the land,” including sheep grazing.
The site overlaps habitat for up to 10 listed species under the EPBC Act.
If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2026 and take up to 18 months. Edify has told reporters it will be employing around 250 workers during peak construction. The project would rival the capacity of the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub and exceed current industry norms, which favour four-hour batteries.