London-based lightsource bp has secured development application approval for its proposed 450 MW Goulburn River solar farm and co-located 900 MWh battery energy storage system, being developed 200 kilometres northwest of Newcastle.
A state significant development, the Goulburn River solar farm will include approximately one million bifacial solar panels mounted on a single axis tracking system.
Covering an area of 793 hectares it will be capable of generating enough electricity to power 191,000 homes each year, or 4% of New South Wales (NSW) electricity demand at peak output.
The developer says the $880 million project (USD 590.6 million) will eliminate about 733,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum.
Its expected operational life is 40 years and livestock will continue to graze on the site. At the end-of-life, all infrastructure will be removed and land rehabilitated.
The solar farm will be situated between the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and the Hunter-Central Coast REZ and will connect to an existing 500 kV transmission line in the area.
NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the project is one of many that are part of the state’s renewable energy infrastructure growth.
“With 350 jobs generated during construction and operation, this project will benefit the local economy, local communities and provide indirect benefits to local services throughout the life of project,” Scully said.
NSW Minister for Hunter Yasmin Catley said the approval “further shores up the Hunter region as a renewable energy powerhouse, that will power communities for decades to come.”
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I would like to know how many proposed solar farms have been subject to Land Council objections and rejected.