Bungala Solar Power Farm

It was expected to be completed and the two stages together able to deliver 220 MW of electric power to the national grid from November 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.aemo.com.au/Electricity/National-Electricity-Market-NEM/Planning-and-forecasting/Generation-information |publisher=Australian Energy Market Operator |date=31 July 2018 |access-date=8 August 2018 |title=New Developments}} It is being developed on {{convert|800|ha}} of land which was previously used as an ostrich farm, sheep and cattle station and is owned by the Bungala Aboriginal Corporation, a community employment and social services organisation. The completed project could contribute 220 MWac to the 132 kV electricity grid from 275 MWdc generation and expects to produce 570 GWh per year.{{cite news |url=https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2018/05/31/bungala-solar-project-starts-generating-to-grid/ |title=Bungala Solar Project starts generating to grid |date=31 May 2018 |access-date=2 July 2018 |newspaper=PV Magazine |first=Marija |last=Djordjevic}}{{Update inline|date=July 2023}}

A professional training project is being set up to provide new skills and experience to 70 Aboriginal job seekers as part of the project. It will train them in operations and maintenance for stage 1 and construction of phase 2 of the project.{{cite web |url=https://www.enelgreenpower.com/stories/a/2018/06/in-australia-bungala-solar-means-opportunity- |title=In Australia, Bungala Solar Means Opportunity |date=15 June 2018 |access-date=1 August 2018 |publisher=Enel Green Power}}{{Update inline|date=July 2023}}

The development is on a 19th-century ostrich farm, later used for grazing sheep and cattle, and spans the boundary between the localities of Emeroo and Wami Kata.{{cite web |url=http://www.dac.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/277471/Reach_Solar_Public_Notice.pdf |work=Application on Notification - Crown Development |id=010/V031/16 |title=Bungala Solar Project - 300 MW Solar Voltaic Electricity Generation plant |date=20 October 2016 |access-date=4 December 2017}}

The project is being built in stages. Stages 1 and 2 will produce a combined 220 MW of electricity. They were developed by Reach Energy and sold to a joint venture of Enel Green Power and Dutch Infrastructure Fund. The builder was Elecnor. Stage 3 is not scheduled to be built by 2024 but could include another 80 MW of generation,{{cite news |url=http://reneweconomy.com.au/huge-300mw-solar-farm-begins-construction-near-port-augusta-63411/ |newspaper=Renew Economy|title=Huge 300 MW solar farm begins construction near Port Augusta |first=Giles |last=Parkinson |date=11 April 2017 |access-date=2 December 2017}} or 300 MW battery storage.{{cite web |title=Site for huge battery sold to owners of South Australia’s largest solar farm |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/site-for-huge-battery-sold-to-owners-of-south-australias-largest-solar-farm/ |website=RenewEconomy |language=en-AU |date=28 April 2024}} Stage 3 was to be built if the company won a contract to supply electricity to the state government, however this contract was won by Aurora Solar Thermal Power Project. The entire output of stages 1 and 2 will be bought by Origin Energy.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-11/construction-to-begin-on-port-augusta-wind-and-solar-farms/8434372 |title=Construction to begin on Port Augusta wind and solar farms in 2017 |date=11 April 2017 | access-date=4 December 2017 |work=ABC News}}{{Update inline|date=July 2023}}

Civil engineering and construction on site was managed by Catcon. The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union accused the construction company of unsafe work practices when a construction worker was crushed by equipment on site in February 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-west-australian/20180219/281655370548564 |newspaper=The West Australian|first1=Jill |last1=Pengelley |first2=Erin |last2=Jones |title=WA man dies as union claims site 'unsafe' |date=19 February 2018 |access-date=21 February 2018}}

As the site is {{convert|300|km}} from the state capital of Adelaide where planning approval is granted, there had been some local issues that were not well understood in Adelaide. These related to dust during construction and ongoing contributions into the local economy once construction is complete. The state Planning Commission visited the site in July 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/5535359/mayors-push-to-improve-renewable-energy-planning/ |title=State Planning Commission visits Upper Spencer Gulf |first=Marco |last=Balsamo |newspaper=The Transcontinental |date=19 July 2018 |access-date=20 July 2018}}

The first supply of electricity from one section of 45 MW was connected to the National Electricity Market in May 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/5442489/bungala-delivers-electricity-to-australian-grid/ |date=1 June 2018 |title=First output from Bungala |first=Amy |last=Green |newspaper=The Transcontinental |access-date=4 June 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/australias-biggest-solar-farm-switches-on-in-port-augusta-52493/ |title= Australia's biggest solar farm switches on in Port Augusta |date=15 May 2018}} The entire first phase of the project was commissioned in September and the second phase of the Bungala Solar Project started feeding electricity into the grid in October 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2018/11/05/bungala-solar-farm-goes-fully-online-as-australias-biggest-solar-project-to-date/ |title=Bungala Solar Farm goes fully online as Australia's biggest solar project to date |date=5 Nov 2018}} Technical issues delayed the project finish until 2020.

The Bungala Solar Power Farm is one of the largest solar farms in Australia. It covers 2000 acres.

Phase One has a Max-to-Registered-Capacity ratio of 1:1.23, as the panels are 135 MW DC and the inverters are 110 MW AC. Along with solar tracking, this yields a capacity factor of 25%, of one the highest in Australia. In 2022, it earned $145 per kW capacity.{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Dan |title=Why capacity factor is an increasingly simplistic way to compare solar farm performance |url=https://wattclarity.com.au/articles/2023/03/why-capacity-factor-is-an-increasingly-simplistic-way-to-compare-solar-farm-performance/ |website=WattClarity |language=en-AU |date=13 March 2023}}

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{{Energy in South Australia}}

{{Solar power stations in Australia}}

Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 2018

Category:Solar power stations in South Australia

Category:2018 establishments in Australia

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