Google Powers Up 25-MW Solar Farm in Australia

• Mulwala’s 25-MW solar farm nears completion, powering Australia’s National Electricity Market. European Energy, AirTrunk and Google align output for data centers—boosting local benefits after OX2’s sale.

European Energy, AirTrunk and Google said the 25-MW Mulwala solar farm in New South Wales is nearing completion and will soon supply electricity to Australia’s National Electricity Market. The project, in the Riverina region, is backed by a corporate power purchase agreement signed in 2023 when the assets were owned by Sweden’s OX2.

OX2 sold Mulwala and a separate Victorian project, Lancaster, to European Energy in 2024. Lancaster is contracted by Apple, while Mulwala’s output is allocated to AirTrunk to match energy use for Google data centers. Google said the plant was built for its local power needs and cited community benefits as part of its Digital Future Initiative in Australia.

What Does Mulwala’s Near-Completion Mean for NEM Power, Google, AirTrunk, and Communities?

• Mulwala’s near-completion signals a shift from construction activity to grid participation, meaning the assets will soon move into operational testing and start delivering contracted electricity into Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) framework.
  
• For NEM Power: the project’s progress indicates an incoming, utility-scale supply source that can contribute to market liquidity and help meet demand patterns once commissioning milestones are met.
  
• For Google: the approach reinforces a “local generation to data demand” model, where contracted renewable supply is used to align with long-term emissions-reduction goals tied to its Australian data center footprint and sourcing plans.
• For AirTrunk: near-completion implies its energy-matching arrangements with the plant are close to becoming fully effective, reducing reliance on residual grid electricity and improving the consistency of renewable-backed electricity delivery for its infrastructure.
  
• For European Energy: the transition from developer-to-operator readiness means the company can move from ownership and contracting execution toward performance delivery—tracking output, reliability, and commercial settlement once the plant is exporting to the NEM.
  
• For communities in the Riverina region: commissioning and early operations typically bring clearer timelines for job transition from construction to longer-term roles, alongside ongoing local engagement around construction impacts, land management practices, and community benefit programs tied to the project’s operation.
  
• For all stakeholders: as the plant nears commissioning, attention turns to grid connection readiness, generation performance verification, and how renewable output is scheduled and dispatched—key factors that determine how quickly contracted electricity begins flowing as expected.