Telstra, Australia's telecommunications leader, has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Mytilineos, the Greek industrial and energy conglomerate. The agreement, valued at an estimated $150 million (USD 95.6 million), revolves around the Munna Creek Solar Farm project, located approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Gympie. Telstra's commitment entails purchasing half of the energy generated by this ambitious solar endeavor.
Mytilineos acquired the Munna Creek Solar Farm project earlier this year from Renewable Energy System Technologies (REST) Energy, a Brisbane-based developer. Pre-construction efforts are already underway, with the project poised to connect to the national grid via existing overhead power lines traversing the site.
Kim Krogh Andersen, Telstra's Product and Technology Executive, shared his enthusiasm for the PPA, highlighting its significance in Telstra's broader sustainability initiatives. This agreement represents Telstra's fifth PPA and brings them closer to their ambitious target of meeting 100% of their power consumption with renewable energy sources by 2025.
“We've supported more than $1.1 billion worth of renewable energy projects across Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales (NSW) as a way to reduce Australia's reliance on non-renewable energy from fossil fuels,” Andersen stated. “Once these projects are fully up and running, our share of their renewable energy output will be equivalent to more than 80% of our consumption.”
Telstra's existing PPAs already include energy from prominent renewable sources such as the 70 MW Emerald Solar Park in Queensland's Central Highlands region, as well as agreements with the MacIntyre Wind Farm in Queensland, the Murra Warra Wind Farm in Victoria, and the Crookwell Wind Farm in NSW.
The Munna Creek Solar Farm marks Mytilineos' ninth solar farm project in Australia, further solidifying their commitment to renewable energy in the country. Their impressive portfolio includes the recently completed 110 MW Moura Solar Farm in central Queensland, as well as the 30 MW Wagga North, Corowa, and Junee solar farms in NSW. Additionally, the 40 MW Kingaroy Solar Farm in Queensland, now in its final construction phase, is expected to commence commercial operations in late 2023.
The company's other ongoing projects include the 75 MW Wyalong, which has already started contributing to the grid, and the 19 MW Wagga South and 28 MW Moama solar plants currently under development in NSW. This latest collaboration with Telstra underlines the increasing momentum behind Australia's renewable energy sector and the commitment of major corporations towards sustainable energy solutions.
