Naturgy purchases 125-MW solar-BESS hybrid project in W Australia

• Spanish electrical and also gas utility Naturgy Energy Group SA (BME: NTGY) has actually acquired a ready-to-build project for a 125-MW solar PV farm hybridised with a battery energy storage system (BESS) of approximately 220 MWh in Cunderdin, Western Australia.

In a news on Thursday, the company said it had bought the Cunderdin growth from Sunlight Bread Power (SBP) for an undisclosed price, with plans to spend EUR 160 million (USD 160.3 m) in the project.

Naturgy expects to release building in the fourth quarter this year, with the purpose to start commercial operation in the initial months of 2024. The centers will be hooked to Western Australia's South West Interconnected System, the utility claimed.

Naturgy will build the Cunderdin project through Global Power Generation (GPG), its joint venture with Kuwait Investment Authority, Kuwait's sovereign riches fund. Cunderdin is Naturgy's very first hybrid power project in the world, its first solar PV project in Australia, and also Australia's first solar-plus-storage hybrid, according to the firm.

With GPG, Naturgy operates two wind farms in Australia, the 96-MW Crookwell 2 and the 180-MW Berrybank 1. Presently, it is concluding the appointing process for the 109-MW Berrybank 2 wind farm, and also a 10-MW/20-MWh BESS in the Australian Capital Territory.