The Elaine Hybrid Renewable Energy Project in regional Victoria has reached a significant milestone with the issuance of a 5.3.4A letter by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). This approval confirms the project meets the latest technical standards for grid connection under the National Electricity Market (NEM) framework.
Developed by international solar and storage firm Elgin, the project will feature a 150 MWp solar farm and a 125 MWac battery energy storage system (BESS). Spread across 600 acres near the Elaine Terminal Station, the facility will include approximately 230,000 ground-mounted solar panels and is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power about 60,000 homes in Victoria.
This marks Elgin’s first hybrid project in Australia to incorporate SMA’s advanced grid-forming inverter technology. The battery system, designed in collaboration with SMA Australia, will provide essential grid stability services, including synthetic inertia, fast frequency response, system strength charge mitigation, and short-circuit strength—critical functions as Australia increases its reliance on variable renewable energy.
SMA’s contribution includes grid modelling support and a fully integrated power management solution comprising Hybrid Power Plant Manager, Sunny Central PV inverters, and Sunny Central Storage inverters. This project is among the first in Australia to meet updated NEM standards for grid-forming compliance.
John Alexander, Vice President of Large Scale and Project Solutions at SMA Australia, emphasized the collaboration’s importance: “This milestone showcases the strength of our partnership with Elgin and our commitment to reliable, utility-scale renewables.”
Tim Averill, Managing Director at Elgin, called the project “a major step forward” in both the company’s global pipeline—currently at 6 GW solar and 3 GW storage—and Victoria’s clean energy transition.
The Elaine project will connect to the grid via a new 220 kV line to the adjacent terminal station. Construction is set to begin in 2026, with commercial operations expected in 2027. The project is projected to create 150 construction jobs and support long-term employment over its 40-year operational life.
