1414 Degrees now owns all of Aurora Energy Precinct near Port Augusta
1414 Degrees has closed its purchase of Vast Solar Aurora Pty Ltd and now holds the whole 16 km² South Australian site. The proposed 140 MW battery and a possible 1 GW data centre still lack binding commercial commitments and financing.
ASX-listed 1414 Degrees (14D) has finished buying Vast Solar Aurora Pty Ltd, which gives it control of SiliconAurora and the 16 km² Aurora Energy Precinct close to Port Augusta in South Australia. Completion came on 20 October, under a share sale agreement the company announced in September.
The purchase ends the earlier 50% joint venture arrangement and moves a shareholder loan receivable of about $1.76 million from SiliconAurora into the 1414 Degrees group. Also included are agreements tied to development approvals, plus engineering files on roads, dams, battery storage, civil works and environmental assessments.
The site has an approved 140 MW battery, which 1414 Degrees says has met technical requirements set by the Australian Energy Market Operator. The company intends the battery to supply firmed renewable power to customers on the grid and behind the meter.
The largest idea for the precinct is a data centre of up to 1 GW. In July 1414 Degrees signed a Heads of Agreement with an Australian data centre developer and operator. The site is also being pitched for renewable generation and for supply into the National Electricity Market. The filing stops short of announcing a binding power purchase agreement, a decision to build, funding or a finished customer deal.
1414 Degrees is seeking infrastructure developers and financiers to take part in a staged build, saying commercial commitments are needed to justify investment and future revenue. Executive chairman Dr Kevin Moriarty said a 33 kV pathway is meant to serve early projects while the larger transmission connection advances. The precinct additionally holds approvals for solar generation, battery storage and long-duration thermal energy storage.