Adani Australia signs PPA for Rugby Run solar plant in Queensland, Australia

Indian energy giant Adani’s subsidiary in Australia, Adani Australia, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Australian electricity retailer for the 65 MW first phase at the Rugby Run solar plant located southwest of Moranbah in the Mackay Region of Queensland.

Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani, announced today that the power retailer has agreed to take 80% of energy output from the Rugby Run facility, according to local news.

He earlier revealed the news by tweeting: “A great moment & major milestone, @AdaniAustralia signs first Power Purchase Agreement #PPA for the first phase of Solar farm at #RugbyRun.”

Construction of the 65 MW plant is scheduled to commence this month out of total 170 MW planned solar installation.

In addition to Rugby Run, Adani has received planning consent for a further $200 million solar energy farm to be located just outside Whyalla.

The South Australia Whyalla plant will be one of the larger solar farms in South Australia. The plant will generate 100MW, with potential capacity of up to 140MW, and the construction scheduled to begin in 2018 with operation potentially from early 2019.

The project will also help Adani realize its ambition to become the world’s largest renewable energy generator with more than 10,000 MW globally by 2022.

Adani aims to develop 1.5 GW of PV capacity in Australia over the next five years.

Federal Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey, welcomed the commitment from Adani. “It’s interesting,” Ramsey said. “Many have been attacking Adani over its coal investment in the Galilee Basin, but this announcement shows they are far from single dimensional.”