Around 1.35 GW of accumulated solar capacity got a green light from the New South Wales government in the previous 12 months.
The government says that the new projects put NSW at the nation’s helm in terms of utility-scale solar PV deployment, with future capacity to support more than 1,800 construction jobs and power about half a million homes with sustainable energy.
Meanwhile, according to data from the Clean Energy Regulator, NSW currently hosts the second highest number of small-scale PV systems, with only Queensland ahead.
Minister for Planning and Housing, Anthony Roberts, said that the state’s planning system had given the green light to 10 projects in 2017, twice the number of projects approved the year before, and already approved NSW’s first solar plant for this year – 170MW solar project in the Riverina, known as the Finley Solar Project.
Image: NSW Government
“Once the 10 solar projects are up and running, they will have a combined solar capacity of nearly 1,200 megawatts and collectively reduce carbon emissions by over 2.5 million tonnes, which is equivalent to taking around 800,000 cars off the road,” Roberts said, adding that Sunny Central West NSW proved to be a hotspot in 2017, with six of the 10 proposals coming from the region.
NSW already has three operating solar farms in Nyngan (the largest operating solar farm in Australia), Moree and Broken Hill, and another seven solar projects currently under construction across regional NSW in Parkes, Yoogali, Manildra, Dubbo, Glenn Innes, Goulburn and Forbes.
“The NSW Government has now approved 22 solar projects in total and we have more renewable generation capacity under construction than any other state, at around 1,000 megawatts,” said Minister for Resources and Energy, Don Harwin.
NSW Solar Farm Fact Sheet
Solar farm proposals approved by the NSW Government in the last 12 months:
- Limondale Solar Farm, Balranald, Far West NSW (250 MW)
- Sunraysia Solar Farm, Balranald, Far West NSW (200 MW)
- Coleambally Solar Farm, Coleambally, Riverina Murray NSW (150 MW)
- Nevertire Solar Farm, Dubbo, Central West NSW (120 MW)
- Hillston Sun Farm, Hillston, Central West NSW (100 MW)
- Metz Solar Farm, Armidale, New England North West NSW (100 MW)
- Gilgandra Solar Farm, Gilgandra, Central West NSW (40 MW)
- Walgett Solar Farm, Walgett, Central West NSW (30MW)
- Beryl Solar Farm, Gulgong, Central West NSW (95MW)
- Hay Solar Farm, Central West NSW (100MW)
- Finley Solar Farm, Central West NSW (170 MW)
Total solar power capacity: 1,355 Megawatts
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