The Winton North hybrid solar and battery storage project in northeast Victoria, Australia, has reached financial close, clearing the way for construction of one of the country’s notable new co-located renewable energy assets. Developer European Energy secured the financing from Commerzbank AG, Singapore Branch and Societe Generale, supporting construction and operation of the 130 MW solar PV plant paired with a 100 MW / 220 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).
Construction has already begun on site, with completion expected in 2026.
Amazon expands offtake to cover the battery
Amazon, which already holds a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project’s solar generation, has now signed an additional PPA covering the battery energy storage system — extending its commitment across both halves of the hybrid plant.
“We congratulate European Energy on reaching financial close for Winton North and 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,” said Matt O’Rourke, AWS Head of Infrastructure Policy, Australia and New Zealand. “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.”
Catriona McLeod, Country Manager Australia at European Energy, said the project reflects the company’s wider strategy in the market. “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,” she said, describing Winton North as “another example of the high-quality assets we are developing in Australia.”
Jens Peter Zink, Deputy CEO of European Energy, framed the financing as a validation of the asset’s bankability. “Securing financing from leading international banks demonstrates the quality and bankability of our assets,” he said, adding that project-level financing allows the company to optimise its capital structure and recycle capital into new development opportunities. That expansion spans well beyond Australia: in Europe, the company’s Kassø Power-to-X expansion recently secured a €228 million German hydrogen award as its Kvosted park came online, underlining the breadth of its renewables and green-fuels pipeline.
Equipment and plant design
Ingeteam is supplying the power conversion, hybrid control systems and balance-of-plant equipment for the project. Its scope covers 100 MW AC of solar inverters and the battery energy storage system, along with modular plug-and-play medium-voltage power stations and integrated control systems, spanning inverter stations, transformers, switchgear, auxiliary systems and the hybrid plant control architecture that ties generation and storage together for dispatch operations.
The hybrid design allows the solar and storage elements to be deployed in stages. The project is expected to produce around 227 GWh annually.
Hybrid solar and battery storage projects like Winton North allow for reliable dispatchability, grid stability, and energy market flexibility.
Winton North Hybrid Solar and Battery Storage Project Factsheet
Project Name: Winton North Solar-BESS Hybrid
Location: Northeast Victoria, Australia
Developer / Owner: European Energy
Solar capacity: 130 MW (100 MW AC of inverters supplied by Ingeteam)
Battery storage: 100 MW / 220 MWh
Annual generation estimate: 227 GWh
Offtake / PPA: Amazon — separate PPAs for both the solar generation and the battery storage
Equipment supplier: Ingeteam — inverters, transformers, switchgear, hybrid plant control system, modular medium-voltage stations
Financing: Financial close reached July 2026; lenders Commerzbank AG (Singapore Branch) and Societe Generale
Status: Under construction, completion expected 2026
Timeline for Winton North Hybrid Solar and Battery Storage Project
Early 2025: European Energy announces development of the Winton North hybrid project; procurement initiated.
October 2025: Ingeteam selected to supply key electrical, control and inverter infrastructure.
July 2026: Financial close reached with Commerzbank AG and Societe Generale; Amazon signs an additional PPA covering the battery storage system.
2026: Construction underway, with completion expected during the year.
Winton North’s Impact to the Region and Solar-BESS Markets
The Winton North project, although not awarded in the government-backed CIS Tender 4, builds on Australia’s prominent shift from standalone solar farms to hybrid solar and battery storage assets. The latter enables more reliable dispatchability, grid stability, and energy market flexibility. By incorporating a battery behind the solar array, the project can better respond to fluctuations in demand and renewable intermittency.
For Victoria, the Winton North solar-BESS hybrid project will also reduce transmission constraints and support peak shifting during demand spikes.
European Energy’s Winton North project also offers global corporate energy consumers like Amazon attractive supply models — cleaner energy with greater reliability and predictability. The American multinational technology company has also recently been increasing its bet in nuclear energy.
The financing also reflects continued appetite among international lenders for hybrid renewable energy and battery storage assets, and strengthens European Energy’s Australian portfolio as it develops projects capable of attracting both project debt financing and institutional investment.
Ingeteam’s contract reinforces its growing footprint in hybrid renewables and storage systems. Its modular, plug-and-play design approach also shortens installation timelines in a market where speed-to-service is increasingly needed.
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