Turbine developers reportedly in talks with billionaire's partners over Sun Cable mega-project

Wind could play a part in one of the world’s most ambitious green energy plans, the A$30bn ($20bn) Sun Cable plan to pipe massive amounts of solar power from Australia to Singapore, according to reports.

Sun Cable shot back onto the agenda after a consortium between billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and infrastructure investor Quinbrook struck an agreement to buy the project company, which had been in voluntary administration since early this year.

The original Sun Cable plan aimed to export power to Singapore from up to 20GW of PV in Australia’s Northern Territory via a 4,200km HVDC cable, but Quinbrook is now in discussions with wind developers over how they could potentially get involved, reported the Sydney Morning Herald, citing unnamed sources familiar with the talks.

The potential investors concerned are said to include Australian and foreign renewable energy developers.

As well as the massive generation capacity, Sun Cable has outlined plans to back up its output with what was billed as the world’s largest battery array at 36-42GWh.

Diversifying Sun Cable’s generation by adding turbines to the equation would fit the pattern of other green power mega-projects such as the BP-led Australian Renewable Energy Hub, which is looking to build up to 26GW of wind and solar to power green hydrogen production.

Software tycoon Cannon-Brookes and Quinbrook will take control at Sun Cable after it earlier became stalled amid a disagreement over strategy involving its other initial billionaire backer, Andrew Forrest, who reportedly wanted it to remain a domestic project and had doubts over the viability of the cable element.

Administrator FTI Consulting said the Cannon-Brookes-backed buyer plans to progress the Australia-Asia power link to final investment decision, with stage 1 of the project delivering 1.8GW to Singapore and 900MW to Darwin, Australia.