Flow Power shares plans for NSW solar farm

Flow Power, a renewable energy company with solar farms in SA and Victoria, is expanding its operations into NSW with a solar project in Cootamundra.

The Cootamundra Solar Farm, which became operational in January 2024, contains over 8000 solar panels and will export 11,800 MWh of solar energy to the grid annually.

In 2025, Flow Power plans to add a DC-coupled battery energy storage system (BESS) to the project, which will allow it to store solar energy during periods when demand and prices are low, then export energy back to the grid when it is needed most.

In addition to offering the benefits of renewable energy and the flexibility of firming technologies, the project also aims to support the local community, becoming the third Flow Power site to host local farmers’ sheep, with the panels raised to provide shade and shelter.

As NSW waits for wind projects to be approved, funded and built, Flow Power COO Byron Serjeantson said that co-located battery-solar projects like Cootamundra were helping to bridge the gap in renewable generation coverage, and that they represented an upcoming trend in Australia’s power purchase agreement (PPA) market.

“As Australia’s energy market continues to transition, there is a growing need and opportunity for renewables that can be more flexible and responsive to market volatility,” Serjeantson said.

“With our South Australian Berri project delivered last year, and another recently completed in Newstead, Victoria, we are really proud of our exceptional team and their ability to pioneer new technologies and solutions to support our customers.”

The Cootamundra project is supported by Flow Power’s proprietary kWatch platform — responsive technology that promotes increased customer engagement and enables projects to respond to market signals more intelligently through automated control systems.

This latest solar farm will bring Flow Power’s total renewable energy portfolio close to half a gigawatt of owned and contracted wind, solar and storage projects. The company is also planning various standalone BESS projects across the National Electricity Market.

“The Cootamundra project has been expertly delivered in a manner consistent with Flow Power’s approach to sustainable development, including consultation to ensure the new site works in harmony with the community and initiatives to protect local wildlife such as the Barraband’s parrot,” Serjeantson said.

The Cootamundra project is located on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people. The name Cootamundra is thought to be derived from the Wiradjuri word for turtle: “guudhamang”.

Image caption: The Cootamundra Solar Farm. Image courtesy of Flow Power.