The Diplomat
Iberdrola has begun construction of a mega solar energy and battery storage (BESS) project in Australia, which will have a total capacity of 556 megawatts (MW) and is expected to be completed in mid-2026, the company reported.
This park, called ‘Broadsound Solar and Battery’ and located in the town of Clarke Creek, will be the energy company’s first project in the State of Queensland, Europa Press reports.
Specifically, the solar park will have an installed capacity of 376 MW and the energy storage in batteries will add another 180 MW, which will allow it to generate enough energy to supply 145,000 homes, which is a population similar to that of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
In this way, Broadsound will be the group’s largest solar project in Australia, surpassing the Avonlie project, which will total around 245 MW and will be located in New South Wales.
The group chaired by Ignacio Sánchez Galán estimated that the project will generate up to 350 jobs during its construction for approximately two years.
In addition, for both the years of construction and the operational life of the project, Iberdrola has established a Community Benefit Fund that adapts to the needs of the local community.
Australia has become one of the key markets for Iberdrola, where it began its journey 20 years ago, after it acquired the renewable energy group Infigen Energy in 2020 to boost its presence in the country, which stands out for its wind and solar resources and where it plans to reach four ‘green’ GW in the coming years.
To consolidate this growth in renewables in the country in 2021, it acquired Autonomous Energy, an engineering and construction company. In Australia, it has significant projects such as the 1,000 MW Mount James wind farm, and this year it obtained preliminary authorisation to develop its first offshore wind farm in Australia, Aurora Green, off the coast of Gippsland (Victoria)
