SunCable sharpens focus on domestic element of project

SunCable Australia has two new chiefs at the helm with former EnergyAustralia executive Cameron Garnsworth appointed general manager and former KBR director Martin Hay named chief development officer to help drive home the onshore component of the Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink) project.

DarwinLink is the onshore element of SunCable’s proposed AAPowerLink project that includes the building up to 20 GW of solar and 42 GWh of energy storage in the Barkley region of the Northern Territory.

The DarwinLink project plans to deliver up to 6 GW of renewable electricity to the Darwin region via 800 kilometres of overhead high voltage direct current transmission infrastructure. The offshore component of the AAPowerLink project, now known as SingaporeLink, will entail the delivery of at least 1.75 GW of clean energy to Singapore via a 4,300 kilometre submarine transmission link.

David Scaysbrook, Australian-based co-founder and managing partner of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, part of the consortium that assumed control of SunCable in 2023, said the appointment of Garnsworth and Hay will be key to realising the onshore element of the project.

“[This] underscores our goal of delivering on the huge potential of DarwinLink which underpins our primary focus on this genuine superpower opportunity for the Territory and for Australia,” he said. “Delivering groundbreaking infrastructure projects like DarwinLink needs a team with experience, vision and real horsepower and we certainly have that with this team.”

No stranger to managing large-scale energy projects, Garnsworth has previously served as managing director of leading solar developer FRV Australia, a longstanding board member of the Clean Energy Council (CEC), and general manager of business development at EnergyAustralia.

Hay brings extensive and diverse experience in remote project delivery, stakeholder relations and energy transition optimisation, and has been involved with major gas projects in the Territory for more than two decades.

Jeremy Kwong-Law, chief executive officer of SunCable parent company Grok Ventures, said the addition of Garnsworth and Hay would give greater capacity to progress all key DarwinLink project milestones.

“Their extensive big project experience and demonstrated leadership will support the critical onshore components of SunCable’s flagship AAPowerLink project,” he said.

While no time line for the DarwinLink project has been provided, SunCable said it has been progressing key project milestones, including principal approvals, land use agreements, and procurement packages and offtake, with further milestone announcements expected in 2024.