NSW solar farms lead way for large-scale generation

Solar farms in New South Wales led the way for Australia’s utility scale PV energy output in January, generating 929 GWh of renewable electricity to drive all Australian large-scale PV and wind generation up 12% on the same time last year.

February 5, 2025 David Carroll

Image: Neoen

The latest data from Rystad Energy shows that the nation’s large-scale solar and wind assets generated a total of 4,805 GWh in January 2025, up 12% from 4,304 GWh in January 2024.

Rystad Senior Analyst David Dixon said New South Wales (NSW) clean energy generation assets led the pack, generating a total of 1,615 GWh of renewable electricity, with 929 GWh from utility PV and 686 GWh from wind.

French renewables developer Neoen’s 36 MW Griffith Solar Farm in southwest NSW was the best performing utility PV asset for the month with an average AC capacity factor (CF) of 40.8%.

The Griffith power plant was followed by BJEI Australia’s Wellington North Solar Farm in NSW with a 40.2% AC CF, and SUN Energy’s 100 MW Merredin Solar Farm in Western Australia with an AC CF of 39.8%.

Other strong solar performers in January include Pacific Partnerships’ 102 MW Glenrowan Solar Farm in northern Victoria and Spanish company X-Elio’s 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm in central Queensland.

The top-performing wind assets were mostly located Western Australia (WA). The top wind assets for January were Warradarge (47.0% CF), Yandin (46.3% CF) and Badgingarra (45.9% CF) all in WA.

Renewables generation reached 44% in the National Electricity Market (NEM) in January, the first time above 40% for the month of January. In WA’s Wholesale Electriciy Market (WEM), renewable generation reached 43% last month, similar to the same month last year.

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