The Corop solar-battery hybrid project in Victoria has been given the go-ahead from the Federal Government after lodging its EPBC Act referral in early October.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) determined the Corop development “not a controlled action”, meaning it is “unlikely to have a significant impact on protected matters”.
“This in turn means your proposed action needs no further assessment, but you must undertake it as described in your referral,” the DCCEEW advises.
The Corop project will involve the construction of a 440-megawatt (MW) solar farm and 800MWh BESS, with more than one million solar panels and up to 208 BESS containers to be installed.
Corop is expected to span approximately 1100 hectares and be delivered in two stages. The project will connect to an existing 220kV transmission line via Old Corop Road, with a supporting substation and switching station to be built.
Around the time Corop’s EPBC Act referral was lodged, the project was selected in Tender 4 of the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), a federal initiative providing contract underwriting and long-term revenue security.
Twelve of the 20 projects selected in Tender 4 were hybrid projects, demonstrating an industry trend away from standalone solar farms towards a more versatile system that maximises the energy soaked up during the day.
Corop developer BNRG Leeson expects the project to support 700 jobs during construction and 30 jobs during operation.
With construction expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026, BNRG Leeson expects Corop to be developed in two years.
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