The Robertstown East 300 MW solar farm is in the development application process with South Australia’s planning authority and will be the last piece of the puzzle for the adjacent Robertstown solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS).
The Robertstown East solar project is a 300 MW solar farm in the Geranium Plains, South Australia (SA), 115 kilometres northeast of Adelaide.
Developed by Canadian renewables developer AMP Energy and Australian-owned developer EPS Energy, the project will be adjacent to the proposed, and already approved, 200 MW Robertstown solar farm and 1,250 MW / 500 MWh BESS, to be built on 1,800 hectares.
During the larger solar/battery development application (DA) it was found available space was only tenable for 200 MW of solar infrastructure prompting a new DA for an additional 630 hectares in the project’s precinct to host the proposed 300 MW.
Sponsored by the SA Department of Energy and Mining as essential infrastructure, the smaller 300 MW project will also connect to the national electricity grid through underground cables and overhead transmission lines to either Robertstown or Bundey substations, for connection to the SA electrical grid.
Image: Australian Energy Market Operator
EPS Energy says for each year of the total project’s 30-year operation life, it will displace the equivalent of 810,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission per year and provide clean energy to about 144,000 homes.
The Robertstown clean energy project and proposed Robertstown East solar project are located in the Mid North SA Renewable Energy Zone (SA REZ), which was declared actionable in 2024 in Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)s 2024 Integrated Systems Plan (ISP), with a total estimated cost of $389 million.
Proposed in 2022, the Mid North SA REZ includes construction of a 275 kV double-circuit line between Bundey and Para, the disconnection of existing Waterloo-Templers 132 kV line at each end, building a 132 kV single-circuit line from Templers West to Templers and a new 160 MVA, 275 / 132 kV transformer at Templers West, 70 kilometres southwest of Robertstown.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
The development showcases the complexity of large-scale renewable energy projects, including the need for additional land acquisition and separate development applications. It also emphasizes the importance of strategic planning in renewable energy zones and the integration with existing and planned transmission infrastructure.
The projected environmental benefits are substantial, with an estimated annual displacement of 810,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and the potential to power 144,000 homes with clean energy. This development is a significant step towards Australia’s renewable energy goals and highlights the country’s progress in transitioning to a more sustainable energy future.