Jinko Power Australia Submits 133.76MWc Solar-Plus-Storage Project for Federal Environmental Review

Image:Jinko Power Australia

Jinko Power Australia, the local subsidiary of Chinese solar manufacturer JinkoSolar, has submitted a proposal for a 133.76MWc solar-plus-storage project in New South Wales under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

The proposed Garoo project will integrate a co-located battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 360MW/1,440MWh and a 4-hour duration. The development is planned on a 369-hectare site located on the eastern side of the New England Highway in the rural locality of Garoo, approximately 385km north of Sydney.

According to project documents, the site will include an on-site substation and a 330kV switching station. The land is currently used primarily for agricultural grazing and irrigated cropping.

Several large-scale renewable energy projects are already located in the surrounding area, including Total Eren’s 600MWh Middlebrook solar-plus-storage project and Venn Energy’s 1,200MWh Lambruk facility.

The Garoo project would connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM), which spans Australia’s eastern and southern regions, including the island state of Tasmania. The BESS is planned to be installed at the northern end of the site, near Garoo Road. The solar PV arrays will be split across two areas, divided naturally by Tamarang Creek.

Pending development consent, construction of the battery system is expected to begin in 2026, with an 18-month timeline to completion. Commercial operations are scheduled to commence in 2028, with the project expected to operate for a lifespan of 30 years.

This marks JinkoSolar’s second EPBC submission in Australia. In 2023, the company proposed the Beebo Solar Farm and BESS in southern Queensland, southwest of Inglewood. That project includes a 600MW solar PV power plant and a 400MW/800MWh 2-hour duration battery energy storage system.

The EPBC Act, overseen by the Australian federal government, aims to safeguard nationally significant species and ecological communities. All major infrastructure projects must secure approval under the Act before development can proceed.