Google backs NSW Mulwala solar farm near completion

Google, AirTrunk and European Energy Australia say the Mulwala Solar Farm in New South Wales is nearing completion. The 25MW project is due to connect to the National Electricity Market.

Located in the Riverina district, the development stems from a corporate power purchase agreement announced in 2023 and is intended to add new solar generation to the grid. It links electricity demand from digital infrastructure with new renewable energy supply.

For Google, the project is part of a broader effort to match its operations with carbon-free electricity. AirTrunk, which operates large data centres across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, has positioned the deal as part of a wider push to secure renewable energy for facilities serving cloud computing and artificial intelligence workloads.

Australia has become an important market in that discussion as investment in data centres rises alongside electricity demand from digital services. The Mulwala project reflects a broader trend of technology groups and infrastructure operators using long-term energy contracts to support new renewable generation rather than buying existing supply from the market.

Digital demand

The project is being presented as an example of how expanding digital infrastructure can be tied to new renewable energy investment. That is significant in Australia, where the National Electricity Market is under pressure to replace retiring coal-fired generation while meeting demand growth from industry, electrification and large industrial users.

Bikash Koley, Vice President, Global Infrastructure, Google, linked the project to the company's local investment plans.

"Australia has ambitious energy goals, and we want to ensure the growth of the nation's digital economy directly accelerates the transition to a cleaner grid," said Bikash Koley, Vice President, Global Infrastructure, Google.

"As part of Google's Digital Future Initiative in Australia, Mulwala Solar Farm is an example of how AI and digital infrastructure can be built the right way, with clear community benefits. By partnering with the right local and international experts, we're proving that the technology of tomorrow can be powered responsibly today," Koley said.

The project also highlights how renewable developers are seeking offtake agreements from large corporate buyers as financing conditions remain tight across the sector. Long-term purchase deals can help support revenue expectations for solar and wind farms, giving developers and investors greater certainty before committing capital.

Industry model

AirTrunk said the arrangement showed how data centre operators could support new renewable investment while seeking greater long-term certainty over power supply. Data centres are increasingly central to debates over electricity use because operators need large amounts of reliable power and often face scrutiny over the environmental effects of rapid expansion.

Damien Spillane, Chief Customer and Innovation Officer, AirTrunk, set out that view.

"We believe hyperscale data centres can help accelerate Australia's energy transition by supporting investment in new renewable energy and strengthening long-term energy security. This collaboration shows how the industry can work together to bring more renewable energy online while creating lasting benefits for local communities," said Damien Spillane, Chief Customer and Innovation Officer, AirTrunk.

European Energy Australia described the project as part of a broader market signal for developers planning additional renewable generation. The company, part of Denmark-based European Energy, has been building its presence in Australia as international renewable groups expand in a market with strong solar and wind resources but ongoing grid and transmission challenges.

Catriona McLeod, Managing Director, European Energy Australia, said the agreement could support future development activity.

"Partnerships like this one give the industry confidence as we develop more solar and wind farms and bring more renewables online. It's a perfect example of how major tech companies and renewables developers can work together to support the energy transition," said Catriona McLeod, Managing Director, European Energy Australia.

The Mulwala Solar Farm will add 25MW of new generation to the National Electricity Market.