The Australian state-owned company Synergy is seeking planning approval for the 2 GW Tathra renewable energy project in Western Australia’s Mid-West region. The project will combine up to 500 MW of solar capacity, 1 GW of wind power, and 500 MW of battery energy storage.
In its planning documents, Synergy explains that co-locating wind and solar generation on the same site allows for the shared use of infrastructure such as grid connections and substations, improving efficiency and reducing costs. The AUD4.5bn (USD2.95bn) Tathra project is expected to connect to the South-West Interconnected System (SWIS) via Western Power’s 330 kV Eneabba to Three Springs transmission lines, which cross the project site. The development application is currently open for public comment.
Synergy is also in the process of commissioning one of Australia’s largest battery projects, a 500 MW/2,000 MWh facility in Collie (Western Australia). This project adds to two large battery installations at the site of Synergy’s Kwinana gas generator (formerly a coal plant), which together total 300 MW/1,100 MWh of storage capacity.