The New England Solar project, developed by ACEN Australia, has commenced its first stage of operations, signaling a significant achievement in the project’s six-year goal to produce renewable energy for the National Electricity Market (NEM).
The project is estimated to generate 720 megawatts and will be constructed in two stages.
The first stage, requiring nearly a million solar panels, has been under construction since March 2021 and is expected to be fully operational in the near future.
The project is among the largest solar projects in Australia and has been formally registered to transmit energy to the NEM by the Australian Energy Market Organization (AEMO).
It has created jobs for up to 400 workers, with 80 percent of the workforce sourced from the New England region.
ACEN chief executive officer Anton Rohner said the project is an important milestone for the energy transformation occurring in Australia and that ACEN Australia’s work is crucial in accelerating Australia’s transition to renewable energy.
Eric Francia, ACEN’s president and CEO, affirmed the company’s commitment to strengthen Australia’s energy security while aiming to develop 20 GW of renewables by 2030.
