Vena Energy said the 125 MW Amazon Wandoan solar project, developed near Woleebee – about 400 kilometers northwest of the Queensland state capital, Brisbane – has successfully completed the commissioning process.The solar farm is equipped with about 250,000 Risen modules, central inverters from Power Electronics, and single-axis trackers from PV Hardware. It is expected to annually generate up to 365 GWh of clean energy, or enough to power the equivalent of about 60,000 homes every year.
The project was built by GRS, the solar engineering unit of Spain's Gransolar Group, whose contract with Vena Energy also includes operations and maintenance of the first stage of the solar farm. Construction commenced in May 2022 and the project was announced as operational in February 2024.
Supported by a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Amazon, the project is part of the larger, multi-staged Wandoan South Project, which has approvals in place for 650 MW of solar and 450 MW of battery energy storage. Vena Energy already operates the 100 MW/150 MWh Wandoan South battery system at the same location.
The developer said it is now in the advanced planning stages for the second phase of the solar power plant, with the 525 MW Wandoan South Solar 2 project expected to achieve commercial operations by late 2026.
Vena Energy said the entire Wandoan South Project will provide in excess of 1,000 GWh of clean energy per year.
The Wandoan South Solar project is part of Vena Energy’s growing focus on the Australian energy market. The developer, which is owned by US-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), said it has 6 GW of renewable energy projects planned in Australia.
The company already operates the 180 MW Tailem Bend Solar Farm in South Australia, which will also include a 41.5 MW one-hour battery energy storage system at the site. The company has also announced plans for a 2,000 MW offshore wind farm in Victoria.
Vena Energy said it has a total of 35 GW of solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, battery storage and hybrid renewable energy projects operating or in development across the Asia-Pacific region.
For Amazon, which has a target to source 100% of its energy supply from renewables by 2025, the Wandoan offtake agreement adds to PPAs with two operational solar farms in New South Wales, a wind farm in Victoria, and three rooftop solar projects on Amazon facilities in Melbourne and Sydney.
