110MW Orange Grove Sun Farm in NSW approved for development
New South Wales’ Independent Planning Commission has granted planning approval to the development of Overland Sun Farming’s 110MW Orange Grove Sun Farm near the town of Gunnedah.
This $94 million large-scale renewable energy project will include the installation of about 330,000 solar panels on a large land area near the Gunnedah Substation.
Construction of Orange Grove Sun Farm is set to support up to 80 jobs.
Project location (source: Overland Sun Farming)
The NSW Department of Planning has given the project a ‘state significant development’ status and upon its recommendation for approval, certain conditions have been set including monitoring and minimising any environmental impacts the project might produce. Other conditions include addressing the concerns raised by locals such as flood risks and visual impacts.
The project will also include the provision of increased setback and appropriate landscaping to lessen the visual impact of the solar farm.
The development of this solar farm will help the State reduce its production of greenhouse gases.
“[This project] will assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; would not result in a significant reduction in the overall agricultural productivity of the land and can be appropriately rehabilitated following decommissioning; and achieves a reasonable balance between maximising the use of the solar resource and managing potential impacts on the environment and on surrounding landowners,” the Independent Planning Commission stated in its report.
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Source: Renew Economy; The Northern Daily Leader; Overland Sun Farming; NSW Independent Planning Commission
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