Iberdrola Australia, a subsidiary of the utility company Iberdrola, has initiated the construction of a solar-plus-storage project with a capacity of 376MW in Queensland.
Iberdrola Australia’s inaugural project in the region, called the Broadsound Solar and Battery, will feature a co-located battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 180MW/260MWh. This advanced system will capture the solar energy produced by the PV plant and feed it into the grid for export.
Clarke Creek, situated approximately 860km northwest of Brisbane, is the site of the Broadsound project, where construction is expected to commence in mid-2026. Iberdrola Australia collaborates closely with the Barada Kabalbara Yetimarala (BKY) People in the development of the site.
Ross Rolfe, the CEO and chairman of Iberdrola Australia, stated that the project will contribute to the company’s existing portfolio of 1.7GW of assets across the country.
Rolfe further expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Having supplied energy to Australian customers, including commercial and industrial businesses in Queensland, for numerous years, we are thrilled to soon generate energy locally through the Broadsound Solar Farm and BESS project.”
Spanning around 2,100 acres, the project site mainly consists of cleared land previously used for cattle grazing. It will house the solar photovoltaic power plant along with the connection pathway to the substation.
The Broadsound project will incorporate approximately 645,000 solar PV modules, solar trackers, medium-voltage power stations, underground cabling, a step-up substation, an overhead evacuation line, operation and maintenance facilities, access roads, maintenance tracks, and security fencing.
Iberdrola Australia’s solar PV expansion
Following the acquisition of Infigen Energy, which is now known as Iberdrola Australia, in 2020, the Spanish energy company has made significant investments in various solar and wind projects across the country. Additionally, Iberdrola Australia has also acquired Autonomous Energy, an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) provider.
In 2022, Iberdrola pledged to invest an estimated €2-3 billion (US$1.99-2.99 billion) in renewable energy projects in Australia over the coming years. The Broadsound project stands as a tangible result of this commitment.
Anticipated to be the largest solar PV venture undertaken by the company in Australia, the Broadsound project will be closely followed by the Avonlie Solar Farm in New South Wales. With over 450,000 solar panels, the Avonlie Solar Farm will have a capacity of 245MW.
The developer is currently working on the Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park in South Australia. This site will feature 50 wind turbines and 250,000 solar modules, providing a total capacity of 217MW from wind energy and 110MW from solar photovoltaics.
The site’s wind farm has been operational since April 2022, and the solar PV part is in its final stages of completion.
