Smoky Creek & Guthrie’s Gap

Located in Central Queensland, 75km south of Rockhampton and 40km north of Biloela on the traditional lands of the Gaangalu Nation people (GNP), the Smoky Creek & Guthrie’s Gap Solar Power Station is currently in the development phase.

The project, which will include solar and energy storage, is being developed by Edify and will stretch across approximately 1,800 hectares of cleared land.  Once complete, it could generate up to 1,589,000 MWh per annum of dispatchable renewable energy, enough to provide green, clean and reliable power to over 270,000 homes.

Edify Energy has signed two solar and battery hybrid services agreements (HSAs) with Rio Tinto. Under the agreements, Rio Tinto will purchase 90% of the power and battery storage capacity generated by the Power Stations for 20 years.

The Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap Solar Power Station is to be an advanced solar and battery hybrid connecting into Powerlink’s 275kV network via a new terminal station.

Its first stage will consist of a 600MW connection, 720MWp of solar panels and 600MW / 2,400MWh of lithium-ion batteries distributed through the solar array using a DC-coupled architecture.

This DC-coupled architecture connects the solar panels and battery packs in the most capital and operationally efficient manner possible, prior to incurring losses through the facility’s inverters and AC reticulation. It also permits the use of a single set of grid forming inverters, which will provide a benefit to the network in the form of enhanced stability and resilience to disturbances.

The project has gone through a rigorous development application process, which included the involvement of specialist third parties, pre-lodgement with Local and State governments and ongoing community consultation.

Its development has complied fully with all applicable regulatory policies and approvals, has the support of the Banana Shire Council and approval to proceed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

At peak construction, the project will employ around 400 people, including from local contractors, supporting the local community.