The Wollar Solar Project in Australia, developed by Beijing Energy International Holding Co., Ltd. (BJEI), a subsidiary of Beijing Energy Holding Co., Ltd., has been connected to the grid at full capacity.
Located in New South Wales, the project marks BJEI’s first solar energy investment in Australia and stands as Beijing Energy Holding Co., Ltd.’s most substantial overseas photovoltaic endeavor to date, boasting an impressive installed capacity of 280 megawatts. The project features an innovative single-axis tracking system to boost power generation efficiency and achieves 95 percent localization of equipment procurement from China.
Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate over 600 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity each year — equivalent to saving approximately 200,000 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon emissions by about 500,000 tons. This output can meet the annual electricity needs of more than 100,000 households.
During preparation period, there were few successful examples of Chinese-funded renewable energy projects being implemented in Australia, leaving the team with little reference and significant challenges.
To overcome high cross-border communication costs and other obstacles, the team adopted a localized development solution. Key actions included establishing a permanent local team to enhance communication, engaging early in the approval process to shorten timelines, forming a professional compliance team to adapt to policy changes, resolving land issues through a “shared interest” approach, inviting third-party agencies for environmental impact assessments, appointing community liaisons and prioritizing local employment.
As a result, the Wollar Solar Project became the only Chinese-funded new energy project in recent years to pass Australia’s rigorous regulatory approval process, offering a valuable case study for future Chinese investments in the Australian renewable energy sector.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
