HOCHTIEF Goup company Pacific Partnerships, a subsidiary of CIMIC Group, has acquired the development rights for the 700MWac Cobbora Solar Farm and co-located large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) project in New South Wales which, when developed, will be one of the largest solar farms in Australia.

Pacific Partnerships, through its energy business, Pacific Partnerships Energy, will develop, invest in, and manage delivery and operations of the Cobbora Solar Farm and BESS, located across a 3,000 hectare site near Dubbo. Fellow CIMIC company UGL will undertake early works, develop the project solution, and provide operation and maintenance services once completed.

HOCHTIEF CEO Juan Santamaría said: “CIMIC is committed to Australia’s energy transition and is developing the large-scale renewable generation assets and infrastructure required to support it. New South Wales is part of our strategic new energy focus as we expand our diversified national portfolio of assets and contribute to the Australian Government's commitments to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”

Pacific Partnerships Managing Director Simon Nicholls said: “The Cobbora Solar Farm is a fundamental piece of the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWO REZ), which in turn is a critical priority for the NSW Government.”

UGL Managing Director Doug Moss said: “The solar farm will have the potential to generate enough clean, renewable energy to power approximately 280,000 average-sized homes and it includes an area that can accommodate up to 1600MWh of BESS to supply energy on demand.”

Pacific Partnerships purchased the project from Marble Energy, a renewable energy developer based in Sydney.