Two community solar and battery projects put out call for PPAs

Two NSW community solar farms are opening up for PPAs. The Grong Grong Solar Farm in the small Riverina town is a 1.5MW battery-ready project with planning approval for an intended 2MWh battery. The Goulburn Community Solar Farm is a 1.4MW project with a 2.3MWh battery.

A community solar farm is a solar farm that provides energy, and is funded by, multiple customers. The Goulburn farm will also create a community fund to help provide energy to those experience energy poverty.

Both projects have been developed with Komo Energy, and supported by grants from the NSW Government’s Regional Community Energy Fund. Both farms have also signed grid connection agreements with Essential Energy.

Both projects are open to a variety of PPA structures, including bundled energy and LGCs. The projects offer smaller-scale investors the rare opportunity to buy into a sector usually reserved for massive corporations and multinationals.

The Grong Grong Solar Farm will host the Haystacks Solar Garden, where up to 333 cooperative members can purchase a 3kW solar garden plot and enjoy on bill credits via energy retailer Energy Locals.

“A Power Purchase Agreement with Grong Grong Solar Farm is an excellent opportunity for large energy and LGC buyers to get competitive and certain pricing for the next seven to ten years” said Grong Grong Solar Farm and Komo Energy Director Gerald Arends.

“Normally PPAs that support new projects are the realm of very large buyers contracting with large solar or wind farms. This is an opportunity for medium-scale buyers with ambition to address climate change to achieve additionality with their PPA.”

“A PPA with a suitably aligned buyer would bring additional certainty for the hundreds of Haystacks Solar Gardeners who are seeking to reduce their energy bills and many of whom simply do not have access to solar,” said Haystacks Solar Garden Co-op chairperson Kristy Walters.

“We know many corporates and retailers are recognising the environmental and financial benefits from renewable energy.  Through supporting Australia’s first large-scale solar garden they can catalyse change in the solar and community energy sector as well.”

The Goulburn Community Solar Farm has raised $2.55 million from 350 mostly local community investors for construction and ownership of the farm.

“Our community solar farm has always been interested in a Power Purchase Agreement to provide our investors more certainty of revenue,” said Goulburn Community Solar Farm President, Peter Fraser.

“This project is leading the way with many other communities watching our lead. Similar community energy groups around Australia would be highly encouraged by such a contract which would demonstrate the demand from retailers or corporates for energy and/or LGC PPAs.”

Komo Energy, which will manage the PPA process on behalf of the farms, will be taking expressions of interest throughout January 2023.