AirTrunk and European Energy Australia have signed an exclusivity agreement to progress more than 600MW of renewable generation and over 800MWh of battery storage in New South Wales, as the data centre operator looks to support its growing electricity requirements, including its proposed Kurri Kurri campus.
The proposed Hunter region developments comprise a 260MW solar project, an 800MWh-plus battery energy storage system and a wind project of up to 350MW. Together, the projects could add 610MW of new renewable generation alongside the battery storage capacity to the NSW electricity system.
The companies are also discussing a potential long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) to support AirTrunk’s NSW energy requirements. However, the agreement remains under discussion, with the projects subject to further development, approvals, technical assessments and final grid connection arrangements.
European Energy plans to connect the projects to Ausgrid’s upgraded 132kV network in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone. Solar and battery operations are targeted for 2030, with the wind project expected to begin operating in 2032.
The partnership builds on the companies’ work at the 31MW Mulwala Solar Farm in southern NSW, which officially opened this week and is now supplying renewable electricity to the state’s grid.
Power for Kurri Kurri
The proposed renewable projects are intended to support AirTrunk’s wider NSW energy requirements, including its proposed data centre at Loxford, near Kurri Kurri, on the former Hydro Aluminium smelter site.
The proposed campus has a total power consumption of 550.5MW, according to its NSW planning application, and would reuse an established industrial site in the Hunter region. Its planning application was on public exhibition until 11 November.
AirTrunk says the Hunter projects are an important step towards supporting the campus, but acknowledges further renewable generation and firming capacity will be required to meet its wider NSW demand.
“We understand the community wants to know how Kurri Kurri’s electricity needs will be supported. Our focus is on bringing new renewable generation forward and securing renewable electricity through long-term supply arrangements,” said Sabooh Whitelaw, AirTrunk’s AVP Energy.
AirTrunk founder and CEO Robin Khuda (above) said “Digital growth must bring new energy with it. The Australian government’s expectations and NSW’s guidelines set a high bar for the industry. This partnership is an important step towards delivering on that commitment.”
The Australian government expects new data centres to support additional clean energy generation and storage, while NSW’s data centre guidelines similarly call on operators to fund the additional energy supply and infrastructure required by their developments.
AirTrunk says it is on track to match 100 percent of its electricity consumption with renewable energy by 2030. Around 73 percent of its electricity use across its portfolio was matched with renewable energy in FY26.
European Energy Australia managing director Catriona McLeod said “Partnerships like this allow us to bring more renewables online and add more energy to the grid.”