The Lower Wonga Solar Project has entered construction near Gympie, bringing one of Queensland’s largest combined solar and battery developments into active delivery.

Lightsource bp has begun work on the approximately 380MWdc solar farm and associated 281MW/843MWh battery energy storage system at Lower Wonga, adjacent to Powerlink’s Woolooga Substation.

A joint venture between INTEC Energy Solutions and Gotion Hi-Tech Australia has been appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction partner, giving contractors and suppliers a clearer view of who will lead delivery and where future work may flow.

The project is expected to support approximately 400–500 jobs at peak construction and create opportunities for regional businesses, contractors and suppliers where possible. Operations are currently targeted to begin in late 2028.

For Queensland’s construction market, this is more than another renewable-energy announcement.

The Lower Wonga Solar Project is now moving into physical delivery across solar generation, battery storage, civil works, electrical infrastructure, grid connection, transport and regional logistics.

That transition makes it commercially relevant to contractors involved in:

• bulk earthworks
• road and drainage construction
• solar tracker installation
• electrical cabling
• battery infrastructure
• substations and transmission connections
• concrete works
• plant hire
• transport and accommodation

Lower Wonga Solar Project Moves From Planning Into Construction

The Lower Wonga Solar Project has been discussed for several years, but the current announcement marks a decisive change in status.

Lightsource bp now identifies the project as being in construction, while INTEC Energy Solutions confirms it has been awarded the lead EPC contract and that delivery work has commenced.

The project will combine two major pieces of energy infrastructure:

• approximately 380MWdc of solar generation
• a 281MW battery with 843MWh of storage capacity

The battery is expected to provide around three hours of storage, allowing solar generation to be shifted into periods of higher electricity demand rather than being supplied only when the sun is strongest.

Once operating, the project is expected to generate enough electricity each year to match the annual consumption of approximately 126,000 homes. Lightsource bp estimates annual generation of around 800,000MWh.

This hybrid configuration makes Lower Wonga significantly different from a standalone solar farm.

The battery introduces additional construction, commissioning, fire-safety, control-system and grid-integration requirements that expand the project’s technical and contractor scope.

INTEC and Gotion Lead Project Delivery

INTEC Energy Solutions will lead the full EPC scope for the Lower Wonga Solar Project in partnership with Gotion Hi-Tech Australia.

INTEC will bring engineering, procurement and construction capability across large-scale solar and storage, while Gotion will contribute battery technology and utility-scale energy-storage expertise.

The contractor appointment gives the project a defined delivery structure and provides the regional supply chain with identifiable organisations to monitor.

Relevant businesses should watch for:

• supplier registration
• subcontractor prequalification
• work-package releases
• local procurement notices
• site mobilisation
• labour recruitment
• equipment and material requirements

INTEC has already been active in the Gympie region through delivery of the Woolooga battery project, which began construction in March 2025 and has progressed into its final commissioning stages.

The company says that earlier project has helped establish regional supply-chain relationships and local delivery capability that may support Lower Wonga.

Lower Wonga Solar Project Contractor Opportunities

The project’s scale creates a broad potential supply chain extending well beyond solar-panel installation.

Not every potential scope has been publicly released as a tender package, but the nature of a 600-hectare solar and battery project indicates likely demand across several disciplines.

Site preparation and civil works

• surveying and set-out
• vegetation management
• site clearing
• topsoil stripping and stockpiling
• bulk earthworks
• cut-and-fill operations
• internal access roads
• drainage and stormwater infrastructure
• erosion and sediment controls
• construction compounds
• fencing and gates
• rehabilitation and revegetation

Solar farm installation

• piling and foundation installation
• tracker assembly
• solar-module installation
• mechanical assembly
• cable trenching
• DC cabling
• inverter station installation
• earthing systems
• testing and quality inspections

Battery energy storage system

• battery foundations
• container or enclosure installation
• medium-voltage infrastructure
• transformers and switchgear
• fire detection and suppression systems
• heating, ventilation and cooling systems
• control and monitoring systems
• communications and cybersecurity
• testing and commissioning

Grid and electrical infrastructure

• substation works
• high-voltage connections
• protection systems
• SCADA integration
• electrical testing
• telecommunications
• network commissioning

Regional support services

• heavy transport
• oversize-load support
• craneage and lifting
• plant and equipment hire
• fuel and consumables
• field servicing and mechanical repairs
• temporary buildings
• security
• workforce accommodation
• catering
• waste management
• traffic control

These work areas are indicative and do not confirm that specific packages are currently open.

Businesses should verify procurement requirements directly with Lightsource bp, INTEC Energy Solutions, Gotion Hi-Tech Australia and authorised project representatives.

A 600-Hectare Construction Site Near Gympie

The Lower Wonga Solar Project will be developed over approximately 600 hectares near the Wide Bay Highway, beside the existing Woolooga Powerlink Substation.

The site received its original development approval from Gympie Regional Council in 2017. Lightsource bp became the project developer in 2023 and subsequently progressed changes to the approved design.

The project’s proximity to established transmission infrastructure is strategically important.

Large renewable projects often face significant delays and costs when long transmission lines or entirely new substations are required.

Lower Wonga is positioned adjacent to an existing high-voltage network connection point, although Powerlink must still deliver specific connection infrastructure.

The site’s scale also creates logistical demands around:

• material storage
• truck movements
• temporary access
• construction staging
• workforce transport
• environmental controls
• neighbour and landholder management

Powerlink Connection Adds Another Contractor Pipeline

Powerlink has been engaged to connect the Lower Wonga hybrid project to Queensland’s transmission network.

Its current scope includes establishing a new 275kV feeder bay at the Woolooga Substation.

Powerlink expects connection construction to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and be completed in the fourth quarter of 2027.

This network scope is separate from the main solar and battery EPC package and may create additional opportunities across:

• substation civil works
• concrete foundations
• structural steel
• high-voltage equipment installation
• protection and control systems
• electrical testing
• commissioning
• temporary access and site establishment

Queensland’s renewable-energy pipeline increasingly depends on parallel investment in transmission and connection infrastructure.

Bowen Basin Index has previously examined major Powerlink transmission works supporting industrial and energy investment, as well as the broader growth in Queensland battery projects backed through the Capacity Investment Scheme.

Rio Tinto Offtake Links Lower Wonga to Queensland Industry

Lightsource bp has signed a hybrid offtake agreement with Rio Tinto covering solar generation and battery-supported electricity from the project.

The arrangement is intended to provide renewable power that can be shifted through battery storage to better match industrial demand.

This connection gives the project wider significance beyond Gympie.

Lower Wonga will help support Rio Tinto’s renewable-energy portfolio in Queensland and demonstrates how large solar and battery projects can supply energy-intensive industrial customers.

For contractors, this is an important trend.

Future renewable projects are increasingly being developed not only to supply the general grid, but also to support:

• mines
• smelters
• ports
• manufacturing
• data centres
• large commercial users

That industrial demand may create a longer pipeline of solar, battery, transmission and firming projects across Queensland.

Capacity Investment Scheme Support Reduces Project Risk

The Lower Wonga Solar Project has also secured support under the Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme.

The scheme is designed to provide long-term revenue certainty for new renewable-generation and storage projects while accelerating additional electricity supply into the National Electricity Market.

For the construction market, this type of support matters because it can help a project move from approval into financing and physical delivery.

Queensland has several approved or proposed renewable projects that remain stalled because of commercial, connection or financing constraints.

Lower Wonga has now moved beyond that point and entered construction.

Why the Battery Is as Important as the Solar Farm

The project’s 843MWh battery is one of its most commercially important features.

A solar farm produces its strongest output during daylight hours, but electricity demand often peaks later in the day.

The battery allows part of the project’s generation to be stored and dispatched when it is more valuable or when the network needs additional support.

This improves:

• dispatchability
• grid flexibility
• industrial supply reliability
• renewable-energy utilisation
• response to changing demand

The storage component also increases the technical complexity of the project.

Battery developments require specialist systems for:

• thermal management
• fire safety
• state-of-charge control
• power conversion
• high-voltage switching
• emergency response
• monitoring and communications

This creates work for electrical contractors, controls specialists, fire engineers, commissioning teams and high-voltage technicians in addition to conventional solar construction crews.

Regional Workforce Demand Could Be Significant

Lightsource bp expects around 400–500 jobs at peak construction.

That workforce may include:

• civil supervisors
• plant operators
• electricians
• trade assistants
• solar installers
• high-voltage technicians
• engineers
• surveyors
• environmental professionals
• commissioning personnel

The project may compete for workers with other renewable, transmission, housing and infrastructure developments across South East and regional Queensland.

Businesses seeking project work should consider whether they can provide:

• local labour
• transport to site
• short-term accommodation
• training and inductions
• equipment servicing
• regional workforce support

What Contractors Should Do Now

The Lower Wonga Solar Project has entered delivery, meaning relevant businesses should move beyond general project monitoring.

Contractors and suppliers should consider:

• monitoring Lightsource bp and INTEC procurement channels
• preparing renewable-energy capability statements
• confirming electrical and construction licences
• updating safety, quality and environmental systems
• listing available plant, equipment and workforce
• identifying accommodation and logistics capability
• tracking Powerlink’s separate connection works
• building relationships with larger subcontractors and package leads

Businesses involved in solar, batteries, electrical works, civil construction and regional project support can improve their visibility through the Bowen Basin Index business directory.

Contractors can also list their firm on Bowen Basin Index for project teams and supply-chain businesses searching for Queensland capability.

Lower Wonga Solar Project Snapshot

What Happens Next for the Lower Wonga Solar Project?

The main project signals to watch are:

• site mobilisation and access works
• bulk earthworks
• solar tracker and module delivery
• battery-system procurement
• subcontractor appointments
• Powerlink connection construction
• high-voltage installation
• testing and commissioning
• progress toward late-2028 operations

Final View

The Lower Wonga Solar Project has crossed the point that separates proposed renewable developments from active construction projects.

Lightsource bp has begun delivery, INTEC and Gotion have been appointed to lead the EPC program, and up to 500 jobs are expected at peak construction.

The project’s importance lies in its scale and its integrated design.

It combines a major 380MWdc solar farm with 843MWh of battery storage and a new Powerlink connection at Woolooga.

For contractors, the potential work extends across civil construction, solar installation, batteries, high-voltage electrical infrastructure, transmission, transport, plant hire and regional support services.

The largest packages will be highly competitive, but regional businesses may still find opportunities through subcontracting, logistics, workforce support and specialised services.

The companies best positioned will be those that monitor procurement closely, maintain project-ready systems and demonstrate genuine experience in renewable-energy or major infrastructure delivery.

Disclaimer

This article is based on publicly available information from Lightsource bp, INTEC Energy Solutions and Powerlink available at the time of publication. Potential work areas discussed are indicative and do not confirm that specific tender or subcontract packages are currently open. Project scope, timing, procurement arrangements and construction sequencing may change. Contractors and suppliers should verify current opportunities directly with Lightsource bp, INTEC Energy Solutions, Gotion Hi-Tech Australia, Powerlink and authorised procurement representatives before making commercial decisions.

Sources

• Lightsource bp – Construction begins on Lower Wonga solar and battery project
• Lightsource bp – Lower Wonga project page
• INTEC Energy Solutions – Lower Wonga EPC contract
• Powerlink – Lower Wonga Hybrid Connection Project