Victoria government fast-tracks 400MWh utility-scale BESS and 500MW solar-plus-storage site in Australia

The BESS, which will span a four-hectare site, has been divisive among the local population, leading to the Alpine Shire Council officially opposing its development in February 2025.

According to planning documents, the BESS will cost around AU$280 million (US$182 million) to develop. It will connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM) via the adjoining Dederang Terminal Station, located north of the proposed development site.

Another BESS, PV module manufacturer Trina Solar’s 500MW/1,000MWh Kiewa Valley system, will be located directly south of the site. A planning application for the BESS was submitted in November 2024 and is currently being considered by the state planning department.

Both of these BESS will be located within the Ovens Murray Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), which, along with five other REZs in the state, aims to unlock up to 10GW of new renewable energy capacity.

For Mint Renewables’ Dederang BESS, a community fund is set to be established upon the commencement of operation, granting a value of AU$70,000 per annum.

The Victoria government’s DFP initiative, which was expanded last year to include renewable energy projects, aims to speed up the development of critical infrastructure projects in Victoria.

Before its inclusion, projects had to pass through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which saw around 20% of these projects delayed by around two years.

Over the past few months, the government has selected several BESS sites for inclusion in the scheme. For instance, last month, Energy-Storage.news reported that developer ACEnergy saw its 350MW/770MWh Little River BESS included within the scheme.

A month before this, in April, Elgin Energy’s 500MWh Barwon Solar Farm, a solar-plus-storage site, had been selected for the initiative. The project is also located in the Little River region of Victoria.

Alongside the aforementioned BESS, Venn Energy, a renewable energy developer, has seen its 500MW Cooba Solar Project selected for inclusion in the DFP scheme.

The project, which is expected to be operational in 2027, is located in Colbinabbin, a small rural town in Central Victoria. Due to the abundance of red volcanic soil in the nearby Mount Camel Range, Colbinabbin and the surrounding areas have recently become a hotspot for vineyards.

The solar PV power plant is set to be located on a 1,147-hectare site 4km south of Colbinabbin, taking up around 665 hectares of this site. If approved, the project will be operational from 2027 and have a 30-year lifespan.

According to Venn Energy, the site has been selected for numerous reasons, including “excellent” solar exposure and easy connectivity to the grid thanks to an existing transmission line.

The size of the BESS will be 300MW, with the duration to be decided by the developer.

Like the Dederang BESS, the local council, Campaspe Shire, has previously opposed the renewable energy project.

Project proponents were required to consult with neighbouring property owners and relevant government agencies, including the Country Fire Authority, Agriculture Victoria, the state’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and local water authorities.

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