Amazon & Vena Energy Begins Operation of 125 MW Solar Project in Australia

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Amazon and Vena Energy announced the commercial operation of a new 125-megawatt (MW) renewable energy project in Woleebee, Queensland in Australia. The project consists of over 2,50,000 solar photovoltaic panels. According to the company, the Amazon Solar Project Australia – Wandoan is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power more than 60,000 Australian homes each year.

As per the press release by Vena Energy, Amazon Solar Project Australia – Wandoan is owned and operated by Vena Energy, and the renewable energy project is a part of the Wandoan South Project approved for 650 MW solar and 450 MW battery storage. This fully constructed solar project has supported approximately 220 jobs and hosted a diverse workforce from across the state.

“Amazon is on a path to power our operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025, and we’re proud to deliver new solar and wind projects in Australia, driving strong sustainability outcomes for our customers and local communities,” said Ken Haig, Head of Energy and Environment Policy, Asia Pacific & Japan, Amazon Web Services. He also added, “For more than a decade, Amazon has invested billions of dollars in Australia, and today’s announcement demonstrates our continued investment in Australia’s future. As the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy, our investment in our renewable energy projects, including the Wandoan project, helps deliver clean energy to local grids, creates new jobs, and supports local businesses.”

Vena Energy has successfully commissioned an operational portfolio totaling 407 MW, including the 100 MW/150 megawatt-hours (MWh) Wandoan South Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), the first utility-scale battery in Queensland and one of the largest in Australia. As of June 2023, Vena Energy has a renewable energy pipeline amounting to approximately 6 GW in Australia, consisting of a 128.5 MW hybrid solar-and-energy storage project currently under construction, and a further 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of projects under advanced development, including the Wandoan South Solar 2, which is forecasted to achieve commercial operation by Q3 2026.

“As leaders in Australia’s clean energy transition, Queensland is committed to partnering with international business and industry to deliver local growth. Today’s announcement by Amazon and Vena Energy is further testament to the viability of our state for investment in renewable energy,” said Minister Mick de Brenni, Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs.