Renewable generation and dispatchable storage project, the Yiray Clean Energy Park (YCEP) in Orange, New South Wales (NSW) has been completed and features a 6.8 MW solar farm co-located with a 10.5 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).
Located 7 kilometres northwest of Orange, which is 260 kilometres west of Sydney, the YCEP has been developed by Portugal-headquartered developer EDP APAC with the Energy Democracy Central West (Energy Democracy) NSW Co-operative.
Funded by 128 community co-owners who invested $1.36 million (USD 970,000) through Energy Democracy, it also received a $3.5 million grant from the NSW government’s $30 million Regional Community Energy Fund (RCEF) established to accelerate community-led renewable energy projects across regional NSW.
EDP APAC Chief Executive Officer Andre Fernandes said the project shows what can be achieved when communities are engaged as genuine participants in the energy transition.
“The trust, partnerships and shared ownership provide a strong model for how renewable energy developments can create lasting value for communities as well as the wider energy system,” Fernandes said.
“We see it as a foundation for EDP’s continued growth in Australia as we work with communities, governments, industry partners and clients to deliver reliable, competitive and responsibly developed renewable energy projects.”
Australia’s largest community co-owned solar and co-located BESS facility by community investment capital, the YCEP’S 11,676 solar panels will generate over 13.2 GWh of energy annually, powering about 2,150 homes with clean energy. There are fourd containerised BESS, an on-site substation, and a 11 kV power line and switching station connecting the project to Essential Energy’s power line.
Formerly known as Orange Community Renewable Energy Park, the project was renamed Yiray Clean Energy Park following consultation with local community representatives, including Orange City Council as well as members of the First Nations Wiradjuri community, with the Yiray meaning ‘sun’ in the Wiradjuri language.
Energy Democracy Central West Energy Cooperative Chair Granton Smith said seeing the Yiray project up and running, producing clean power day and night for the Orange community was exciting.
“Yiray is the largest community co-owned solar park, and the cooperative’s members are now beginning to see the fruits of their investment. It’s nice to drive past and think to myself, I own a slice of that, I’m doing my bit to bring more clean energy into the market and help push fossil fuels out,” Smith said.
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