Solar River Project is a proposed photovoltaic power station planned to be built near Robertstown in South Australia.[1] The project received development approval from the Government of South Australia in June 2018 and was expected to start construction early in 2019.[2] However, as of November 2021, the project was still proposed to be constructed, but work on site was not expected until at least the second half of 2022.[3]

Solar River Project
Map
CountryAustralia
Locationnorth of Robertstown, South Australia
Coordinates33°47′S 139°23′E / 33.78°S 139.38°E / -33.78; 139.38
StatusProposed
Construction beganMid-2022 (proposed)
Construction costA$450 million
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Collectors628,000 (stage 1)
Site area5,000 hectares (12,000 acres)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity200 MW (stage 1)
200 MW (stage 2)
Storage capacity120 MW·h (stage 1)
150 MW·h (stage 2)

The company developing it is based at the University of Adelaide's venture incubator, ThincLab.[4] The project has the support of the Ngadjuri people and the Regional Council of Goyder.[citation needed]

Stage 1 includes 200 MW of solar photovoltaic electricity generation and a 120 MW·h lithium ion battery system and was proposed to start construction early in 2019, generating its first generation before the end of the same year. Stage 1 will consist of one hundred single-axis tracker arrays each generating 2 MW and approximately 310 by 180 metres (1,020 by 590 ft)[5] for a total area of 3,200 by 1,800 metres (10,500 by 5,900 ft). Stage 2 is proposed to provide another 200 MW of generation and a 150 MW·h battery.[5]

The land is north of Goyder's Line and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of the Goyder Highway on crown land unsuitable for cropping due to the low rainfall.[6]

Downer Group was engaged in January 2019 for early contractor involvement, with construction expected to commence in July 2019 and stage 1 to take two years to build. The project had provision for three more stages, depending on market and network conditions.[7] In July, the project's website said that construction would start in the fourth quarter of 2019.[8] By November 2019, this had slipped to the first quarter of 2020.[9]

Alinta Energy had committed to buy 75% of the solar farm's output for 15 years,[10][11] however that contract expired due to delays in the project caused by issues such as the withdrawal of Downer Group as EPC contractor.[12]

The grid-connected battery will be supplied by GE Renewable Energy. It is expected to be 100MW/300MWh, larger than any grid-connected batteries in the world at the time of its announcement in 2019.[13]

References

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  1. ^ May, Jason (4 December 2017). "Solar River Project Development Application" (PDF). Application on notification – Crown Development. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  2. ^ Evans, Richard (25 June 2018). "Groundbreaking Solar River Project to slash the cost of renewable energy to 90,000 SA homes". The Advertiser. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ^ Zerner, Mel (26 November 2021). "Renewables Projects Update Report". What's Happening in Goyder. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Reliable renewable energy is possible with The Solar River Project". University of Adelaide. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Michael (26 June 2018). "Massive Solar + Storage Facility For South Australia To Proceed". Solar Quotes Blog. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Major PV solar farm approved in outback South Australia". The LEAD. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  7. ^ Etheridge, Michelle (28 January 2019). "Major milestone for Solar River renewable energy project in SA's Mid North". The Advertiser. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  8. ^ "The Solar River Project". Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019. Project Construction Start Date Q4 2019{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "The Solar River Project". Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019. Project Construction Start Date Q1 2020
  10. ^ Vorrath, Sophie (18 July 2019). "Alinta signs up for huge solar and battery project in South Australia". Renew Economy. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  11. ^ Russell, Chris (17 July 2019). "Solar River project at Robertstown to sell power to Alinta Energy". The Advertiser. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  12. ^ Parkinson, Giles (4 September 2020). "Solar River solar and battery project still confident, despite loss of Alinta contract". Renew Economy. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  13. ^ Vorrath, Sophie (19 September 2019). "GE to supply world's biggest battery for South Australia Solar River project". Renew Economy. Retrieved 19 September 2019.