The Hazelwood North Solar Farm is set to become Victoria's largest solar project, with construction now underway on a 450-megawatt solar farm that will power approximately 150,000 homes. The $651 million project is expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions by preventing 700,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere annually.
Once completed, the Hazelwood North Solar Farm will not only be the state's largest but will also include a cutting-edge 450-megawatt battery energy storage facility. This storage system will capture surplus solar energy during the day and release it to the grid during peak demand periods, providing a reliable and affordable energy supply to homes and businesses.
The project is also set to create around 500 jobs during its construction phase and will feature landscaping with native vegetation to blend the facility into the surrounding environment. The Hazelwood Solar Farm is expected to be a major contributor to Victoria's renewable energy capacity, adding to the 39 percent of energy that was generated from renewable sources last year.
With the ongoing expansion of renewable energy projects across the state, Victoria is on track to meet its ambitious targets of 65 percent renewable energy capacity by 2030 and 95 percent by 2035. These efforts are expected to generate thousands of jobs and drive substantial economic growth, while also supporting the state's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.