Potentia Energises 93-MW Girgarre Solar Farm, Strengthening Victoria’s Grid

• Joint venture Potentia Energy—formed by Enel Green Power and Inpex—has switched on the 93-MW Girgarre Solar Farm in northern Victoria, adding 200 GWh of clean power annually.

Northern Victoria has welcomed a new utility-scale solar landmark with the commissioning of the 93-MW Girgarre Solar Farm, delivered on schedule by Potentia Energy, the recently rebranded partnership between Italy’s Enel Green Power and Japan’s Inpex.

From groundbreaking to grid-ready

Construction on the AUD 140-million project began in late 2023 and wrapped in less than 18 months, a pace Potentia attributes to modular tracker assembly and streamlined state approvals. The site hosts about 169,000 bifacial panels on single-axis trackers spread over 250 hectares of former grazing land. At full tilt the array is expected to generate roughly 200 GWh a year, enough to meet the electricity needs of around 43,000 Victorian homes.

Power-offtake and portfolio ambitions

Output is backed by a long-term power-purchase agreement with retailer SmartestEnergy, providing revenue certainty while feeding low-carbon electricity into the National Electricity Market. Girgarre brings Potentia’s operating solar fleet past the 300-MW mark and slots into a broader 1.2-GW pipeline the company has been amassing across Australia’s eastern states.

Local impact and future add-ons

At peak construction the solar farm employed more than 250 workers, with Potentia pledging an ongoing community benefit fund for Girgarre and neighbouring Kyabram. The company says the flat, grid-adjacent site is “battery-ready,” and studies are under way for a potential 20-MW storage extension that would shift surplus midday generation into Victoria’s evening peak.

A JV with global reach

Potentia emerged this year after Enel sold a 50 % stake in its Australian renewable arm to Tokyo-based Inpex, creating a vehicle capable of pairing European project know-how with Japanese balance-sheet muscle. The partners have signalled interest in green hydrogen and co-located battery plants, positioning Girgarre as a template for future hybrid assets.

With the sun now pouring through brand-new cables into Victoria’s grid, the Girgarre Solar Farm highlights how international capital and local execution continue to accelerate Australia’s push toward a decarbonised power mix.