TotalEnergies Plans Major Solar and Battery Facility Near Darwin to Compete with SunCable
French energy corporation TotalEnergies has announced its intention to develop a substantial solar and battery storage facility located near Darwin, which the company claims will supply power for heavy industry and potentially support green hydrogen initiatives. This project is poised to be a significant competitor to the more prominent SunCable initiative, which is even larger in scale.
In partnership with Group Eren through its newly established TE H2 venture, TotalEnergies is currently seeking the necessary approvals for the 2.7 gigawatt Wak Wak solar farm, complemented by a 6 gigawatt-hour battery infrastructure. The proposed site is near Humpty Doo, situated approximately 48 kilometres south of Darwin.
Community Engagement and Project Details
The company aims to commence construction in 2028 on land it has secured under a pastoral lease. Presently, TotalEnergies is engaging with the local community to gather input regarding the project layout and the framework for sharing the community benefits. Once this consultation is complete, plans will be submitted to both local and federal authorities for their review.
Although the scale of the Wak Wak project is considerably smaller than that of SunCable, which is located 800 kilometres to the south and proposes up to 12 GW of solar capacity alongside a staggering 45 GWh of battery storage, it holds the potential to be the largest solar battery project in Australia if realised as proposed. Furthermore, its proximity to Darwin positions it advantageously near emerging industrial areas likely to develop around Middle Arm.
TotalEnergies states on its TE H2 website that the solar precinct is anticipated to deliver affordable, dependable, and dispatchable renewable electricity to the existing heavy industry within the Northern Territory.
Financial Overview and Development Phases
The company estimates the total capital cost of the Wak Wak project at a substantial $2.8 billion. They have also characterised this venture as the first part of a larger prospective green hydrogen production and export scheme in the Middle Arm area, with plans to potentially interface with the Darwin-Katherine electricity grid.
The development of Wak Wak is expected to unfold in stages, with the initial phase targeting approximately 900 MWp, slated for completion in around four years. This phase is projected to create approximately 900 jobs during its construction.
TE H2 has a workforce of 20 personnel in Australia dedicated to this and various other projects, including a potential wind energy initiative called Poynton, located in the Middleback Ranges near Port Augusta in South Australia. Additionally, they are working on a 600 MW renewable energy hub in the southeastern region of the state.
