Mulwala Solar Farm Powers Renewable Energy for AirTrunk
A new solar farm located at the New South Wales and Victoria border has begun operations after being developed by Swedish renewable energy firm OX2 and subsequently acquired and constructed by Danish company European Energy. This facility is currently generating power, with plans to incorporate a four-hour battery system soon.
Last week, European Energy announced that the 31 megawatt (MW) Mulwala Solar Farm has completed its full-output testing and is now functioning at its maximum capacity in the Riverina region of New South Wales. A 25 MW/100 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery is set to be added in the near future.
Project Development and Financing
European Energy purchased the ready-to-build solar project from OX2 in the latter half of 2024, alongside the 108 MW Lancaster solar farm situated in Victoria. By June 2025, they had secured a financing package of AUD 130 million for both projects in partnership with Westpac and the Singapore division of Germany’s DZ Bank.
Power Purchase Agreements
The Mulwala Solar Farm also benefits from a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in late 2023 with AirTrunk and Google, covering 25 MW of its energy output. This arrangement allows AirTrunk to acquire energy produced by the solar farm, while the corresponding large-scale generation certificates will align with Google’s consumption needs.
“The full operation of Mulwala marks a significant advancement for our efforts in Australia,” remarked Catriona McLeod, Vice President and head of European Energy Australia. “We’ve successfully navigated the project from development through to construction and energisation, now providing renewable electricity to New South Wales.”
She added, “Most of the green energy generated is being supplied to AirTrunk, while a portion remains uncontracted, feeding directly into the grid for local consumers.”
Support for Renewable Energy Transition
Sabooh Whitelaw, Associate Vice President of Utility and Energy at AirTrunk, highlighted that the Mulwala PPA demonstrates how sustained demand from digital infrastructure can bolster new renewable generation and facilitate Australia’s energy transition. “Collaborations of this nature can also yield significant benefits for local communities,” he stated.
Future Projects and Collaborations
European Energy is currently advancing a development pipeline that totals approximately 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar, onshore wind, and battery storage projects across Australia, having established numerous offtake agreements with several global technology leaders to support these initiatives.
For instance, Amazon has secured offtake agreements for projects including Mokoan, Winton North, and Bullyard solar projects located in Victoria and Queensland. Additionally, Apple entered into a long-term PPA last year for the Lancaster solar farm near Kyanbram.
Moreover, European Energy is working on the sizeable 1.3 GW Upper Calliope solar project in Queensland, which is backed by a contract with Rio Tinto to supply power to their smelters and refineries in Gladstone, where the mining giant aims to phase out its coal generator by 2029.
