An 85 MW solar farm and a 70 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) has received fast-tracked approval by the Victorian government through the government’s development facilitation program (DFP).
Located 3.8 kilometres southwest of Bairnsdale, 280 kilometres east of Melbourne, the proposed Ballantine Solar Farm and BESS project is to be built on agricultural land and may include sheep grazing withing the facility.
Once operational the project will meet the evening peak demand for approximately 24,000 households and power 36,000 homes per annum using approximately 118,000 solar panels,
Operated by United Kingdom-headquartered solar and storage company Elgin Energy, Ballantine joins a suite of large-scale solar and battery projects being developed by the company in Victoria
These include the 50 MW solar / 250 MWh battery Elaine Solar Farm, and the 330 MW solar / 250 MWh battery Barwon Solar Farm. In New South Wales (NSW), Elgin have the Morven and Glanmire solar farms and batteries under development.
In 2024, the DFP was expanded to include renewable energy projects, which has unlocked more than $4.9 billion (USD 3.1 billion) worth of investment across 18 projects.
The government says these have the potential to generate enough power for around 574,000 households annually, with battery storage capable of meeting evening peak demand for almost a million households.
Victorian Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said the approval reflects the ongoing success of the development facilitation program – cutting red tape that will help cut down power bills faster.
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio said Victoria consistently has the cheapest wholesale energy prices in the country and fast-tracking the process means even more residents will benefit from cheaper renewable energy sooner.
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