SINGAPORE – Singapore-based Vena Energy and Amazon announced on Feb 7 the commercial operation of a 125MW (megawatt) solar project in Australia’s Queensland state.
Vena Energy, a regional developer of renewable energy projects, owns and operates a power plant near Wandoan, about 400km north-west of Brisbane, the two firms said in a statement.
Amazon is the long-term offtaker of the project’s electricity as part of its goal to power its operations with 100 per cent green energy by 2025. Amazon has seven renewable energy projects in Australia.
The Amazon Solar Project Australia – Wandoan, as the project is called, is estimated to generate enough renewable energy to power more than 60,000 Australian homes. It comprises more than 250,000 solar panels.
“We are thrilled to mark a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to sustainable energy with the successful commercial operation of the Amazon Solar Project Australia – Wandoan,” said Mr Nitin Apte, chief executive of Vena Energy, in the statement.
It is the first of two large-scale solar projects being built by Vena Energy in the area. The larger second project – Wandoan South Solar 2 – is planned to be 525MW and is expected to achieve commercial operation by late 2026.
“The remaining approved capacity of the Wandoan South Project will be developed in stages. We are currently finalising the design and layout. We’re currently engaging with a number of interested counterparts for the offtake of the project,” the firm said in a separate statement to The Straits Times.
Vena Energy also operates the 100 MW/150 megawatt-hours Wandoan South Battery Energy Storage System in the same location. There is approval to expand this to 450MW.
The firm has a renewable energy pipeline totalling about 6 gigawatts (GW) in Australia and a further 1.3GW of projects under advanced stages of development, including the Wandoan South Solar 2 project.
Vena Energy has a large pipeline of projects operating, planned or at various stages of development across the Asia-Pacific. It has a total portfolio of 45GW of solar, onshore and offshore wind, and battery storage in the region, according to its latest figures.
