Samsung’s Solar-Battery Hybrid Project Near Canberra Seeks Approval
The renewable energy division of Samsung, the South Korean electronics powerhouse, is looking for federal approval for a new solar-battery hybrid initiative in southern New South Wales, which promises up to four hours of energy storage capability.
The Boro Solar Farm plans have recently been submitted for environmental assessment under the federal EPBC Act. The project aims to set up a solar capacity of up to 150 megawatts (MW) alongside a battery energy storage system boasting 250 MW and 1,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage, located around an hour to the east of Canberra.
Project Location and Details
The project site lies approximately 40 kilometres south of Goulburn and 200 kilometres south-west of Sydney, within the Goulburn Mulwaree Council and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council areas in New South Wales’ South East and Tablelands Region.
According to Samsung C&T Renewable Energy Australia, the planned area encompasses roughly 420 hectares, previously cleared for agricultural purposes, and has a history of mining for gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc.
The proposal outlines that the construction, operation, and decommissioning phases will include a solar farm and a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a total generating capacity of 400 megawatts—consisting of a 150-megawatt solar farm and a 250-megawatt storage system.
The solar farm will connect to the grid via underground cables that link the photovoltaic arrays to a central substation, which will convert the electricity to 330 kilovolts for transmission to an existing TransGrid 330kV overhead line situated south of the site.
Community Perspectives on Renewable Energy in Goulburn
Goulburn has a complex history when it comes to renewable energy projects. Although it is home to Australia’s inaugural community solar and battery initiative, which launched in March this year, it has also seen significant local opposition to both solar and wind projects.
In 2022, local landowners rallied against a proposed 400MW solar farm and large battery facility near Goulburn, even before community consultations commenced, arguing that it conflicted with the agricultural character of the Gundary Plains.
The Gundary solar farm proposal, initiated by Lightsource bp, faced heavy criticism from a group known as Stop Gundary Solar Farm, which received backing from prominent local figures including the federal opposition leader Angus Taylor and Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman.
Moreover, the Merino solar farm and battery, a proposed 450 MW / 1,800 MWh project by EDP Renewables Australia near Tirannaville, south of Goulburn, has attracted similar resistance, leading to a rejection by the Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
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