Edify Energy has reached financial close on the Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap Solar Power Stations development in Central Queensland, the largest solar and battery hybrid development currently under construction in Australia.
Located in Central Queensland on the traditional lands of the Gaangalu Nation People, the Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap Solar Power Stations will boast a combined 720 megawatts-peak (MWp) of solar generation alongside a 600-megawatt, four-hour battery storage system.
The financial milestone was achieved through a market-first greenfield portfolio financing platform backed by Edify’s shareholder, La Caisse, and a heavyweight syndicate of 14 domestic and international lenders.
Mining giant Rio Tinto has signed a 20-year agreement to purchase 90 per cent of the power and storage capacity.
The affordable, low-carbon energy will directly supply Rio Tinto’s Gladstone aluminium operations, representing one of the nation’s largest renewable energy offtake arrangements for heavy industry.
The projects are also among the first to be successfully awarded long-term support under the federal government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS).
As part of the CIS agreement, Edify has committed to substantial local content mandates, including utilising the Australian domestic steel industry and maximising local procurement.
Edify Energy Chief Executive Ben Warne said the dual projects are critical to future-proofing Australia’s grid infrastructure.
“Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap are critical projects in the energy transition, generating cost-effective, reliable and dispatchable renewable energy,” Warne said.
“These projects will strengthen Queensland’s and Australia’s energy system while delivering lasting benefits for the communities of the Banana Shire and the Gaangalu Nation People.”
Equipped with advanced grid-forming inverters, the integrated facilities will provide essential system stability to the state’s electricity grid as aging coal-fired generators retire.
Construction is expected to inject massive economic benefits into regional Queensland, creating up to 800 jobs at its peak, supporting local apprenticeships, and funding a community benefits program spanning more than 35 years.
The projects also represent one of the nation’s largest renewable energy offtake arrangements for the industrial sector, underscoring the critical role of firmed renewables in decarbonising energy‑intensive industries.