Hornsdale Wind Farm - World's largest Tesla battery storage

For French renewable energy development company, Neoen, the Hornsdale site presented an opportunity to take advantage of outstanding winds and establish one of Australia's most competitive renewable wind farm installations.

In 2013, GHD was engaged to support Neoen through the acquisition, development and project financing phases of its first wind farm in Australia. In August 2015, GHD was further appointed as the owner's engineer and principal's representative for its development. This role continued for the 2.5 year construction of the three phases of the project, all completed on time and on budget. 
GHD provided key assistance in the licencing and registration of the windfarm during a difficult period after the South Australian blackout and subsequent licencing reforms.

Grid Connection

In 2017, GHD played a critical role in the connection of Australia’s first grid-scale lithium-ion battery, including obtaining the signed connection agreement. The 100 MW/129 MWh battery installation known as the Hornsdale Power Reserve is a pioneer in storage technology, providing essential grid support. These projects became the centre of world-leading innovation in renewable energy as Neoen partnered with Tesla to deliver the world’s largest lithium-ion battery.

In 2019, GHD was appointed owner’s engineer to expand the Hornsdale Power Reserve by 50 MW, building on the success of the initial installation. Completed in 2020, the expansion provides additional system security for the South Australian electricity network.