The Goorambat East solar farm, set to become the largest solar energy facility in Victoria, has successfully begun generating electricity and sending it to the grid. This milestone marks a significant advancement in the state’s renewable energy landscape, raising the total number of large-scale solar farms operating in Victoria to 17.
Project Overview and Technological Innovation
Located near Benalla in northern Victoria, the 250 megawatt solar farm is the first solar project constructed in Australia by Engie, a company that also operates the Hazelwood battery in the Latrobe Valley. This initiative highlights Engie’s commitment to renewable energy following its acquisition of the project from Neoen in 2023.
The Goorambat East solar farm is notable for its incorporation of robotic technologies aimed at expediting installation processes, traditionally reliant on manual labor. Various companies have collaborated to showcase automated methods for installing solar panel mounting structures and pilings. Approximately 500,000 solar panels are set to be installed at the site, with the first panels having been placed around six months ago.
Future Developments and Competitive Landscape
As of late September, the Goorambat East solar farm achieved registration status and is expected to reach full operational capacity by 2026. The initial output was recorded on Wednesday, generating a few megawatts of electricity. The facility is currently undergoing a series of “hold points” as part of its testing and commissioning phase, which may take several months to complete.
Upon its completion, Goorambat East will surpass the Kiamal solar farm as Victoria’s largest solar energy facility. In terms of national rankings, the largest solar project currently under development is the 720 megawatt New England solar project in New South Wales, managed by Acen Australia. Other upcoming projects include Edify Energy’s 300 megawatt Nowingi solar farm and Lightsource BP’s West Mokoan solar farm, both of which are solar-battery hybrids and will exceed Goorambat East in size.
The state’s focus on renewable energy continues to evolve. Six solar-battery hybrid projects in Victoria have received underwriting agreements through the federal government’s Capacity Investment Scheme. The next tender process will prioritize wind energy initiatives as Victoria aims to achieve a target of 95 percent renewable energy by 2035.
Engie further expands its renewable portfolio with wind farms located at Willogoleche and Canunda in South Australia, along with several other solar and wind projects currently in development. As the energy landscape shifts towards sustainability, the Goorambat East solar farm stands as a testament to innovation and investment in green technology.
