Pacific Partnerships, a subsidiary of construction group CIMIC, announced on Monday the acquisition of development rights for the Cobbora Solar Farm project in New South Wales, featuring a proposed co-located battery energy storage system (BESS).
The project, purchased from Sydney-based developer Marble Energy, is set to establish one of Australia's largest photovoltaic (PV) farms, generating 700 MW of electricity. Pacific Partnerships will oversee the development and operational phases of the solar-storage site, with UGL, another CIMIC entity, managing construction and subsequent operations and maintenance (O&M).
Located on a 3,000-hectare (7,413-acre) site east of Dubbo, the Cobbora PV park is expected to supply power equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 280,000 average-sized homes. The site, primarily cleared grazing land, will also accommodate batteries capable of storing up to 1,600 MWh, alongside continued sheep grazing post-commissioning, as outlined in the statement.
Pacific Partnerships plans to submit an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project by late 2024, preceded by a period of public exhibition to gather community and stakeholder feedback.
