Amazon holds a PPA for the solar generation component of the project and has now signed an additional PPA covering the battery storage system, making Winton North one of a small number of projects in Australia where a single corporate offtaker has contracted both the generation and storage output under separate bilateral agreements.

Matt O’Rourke, Amazon Web Services’ head of infrastructure policy for Australia and New Zealand, confirmed the expanded partnership.

“We are proud to be expanding our partnership with European Energy by signing a new battery storage agreement alongside our existing solar PPA for the Winton North solar farm,” O’Rourke said.

“Co-locating battery storage with solar generation means clean energy can be stored and dispatched when the grid needs it most, helping strengthen reliability as Australia transitions to renewables.”

Meanwhile, Catriona McLeod, country manager Australia at European Energy, said the project demonstrates growing demand for flexible, contracted renewable energy assets.

“We continue to build a diversified portfolio of renewable energy projects here in Australia that combines strong resource fundamentals with increasing demand for flexible generation and long-term power offtake,” McLeod said.

Project development timeline

The Winton North financial close follows a period of active contracting activity at the site.

In October 2025, Spanish power electronics specialist Ingeteam signed a supply contract for the project, covering PV inverters, storage inverters, and a hybrid power plant control system, including plug-and-play medium-voltage power stations integrating inverters, low-voltage-to-medium-voltage transformers, medium-voltage switchgear, and auxiliary services panels.

Ingeteam will also provide its Multi Plant Controller system to manage performance across both the solar and battery components at the grid interconnection point.

Module installation had already begun at the Winton North site before the financial close was confirmed, with European Energy’s Australian arm progressing construction ahead of the finalisation of the debt package.

All Energy Contracting was awarded the construction contract in late 2025 and is delivering an end-to-end electrical and trenching package.

The project will connect to AusNet’s existing transmission network at Glenrowan Terminal Station via approximately 5km of electrical line, with sections running overhead on poles and others underground.

As previously noted, the project was included amongst other solar PV power plants to support Amazon’s AU$20 billion commitment to expand Australia’s data centre infrastructure using utility-scale solar power.

European Energy operates across 20 countries with a global portfolio spanning solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, power-to-X and battery storage. Its Australian operations include the Winton North project alongside other solar and storage developments in Victoria and New South Wales.

Our publisher, Solar Media (part of Informa Group), will host the Battery Asset Management Summit Australia 2026 on 25-26 August at Amora Hotel Jamison in Sydney. You can find out more about the Summit on the official website.