The Victorian Government has given renewable energy developer BrightNight the green light to begin construction on the $700 million Mortlake Energy Hub in the state’s south-west.
The project will combine a 360MW solar energy facility with a 300MW battery energy storage system, capable of powering 140,000 homes and cutting emissions by 41.4 million tonnes annually.
The project is expected to create around 300 construction jobs and leverage the existing Mortlake Terminal Station to store energy and solar power and release it into the grid when it’s needed – delivering more affordable and renewable energy.
The Victorian Government said that earlier in 2024, renewable energy projects became eligible for its Development Facilitation Program pathway – ensuring more cleaner and cheaper energy projects get off the ground faster.
The State Government said that projects like this support Victoria’s renewable energy targets of 65 per cent by 2030 and 95 per cent by 2035 and are supported by energy storage targets of at least 2.6GW by 2030 and 6.3GW by 2035.
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “The Mortlake Energy Hub will soak up locally generated renewable energy and pump it back into the grid when it’s needed most to support Victorian homes and businesses with cheaper energy.”
Victorian Acting Minister for Planning, Colin Brooks, said, “This is another example of how we are getting more renewable energy projects off the ground faster – providing cheaper and cleaner power for more than a hundred thousand homes.”
Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora, said, “Our government is helping to bring online cheaper, cleaner renewable energy, which will help lower power bills and keep the lights on across the state.
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