$135m West Wyalong Solar Farm project given the green light

A new solar farm is anticipated to be built in West Wyalong after the New South Wales Government gives planning approval to Lightsource BP for its proposed $135 million renewable energy project.

During its construction, the 90MW solar farm is expected to create about 300 jobs.

“The West Wyalong solar farm will add to the growing hub of solar energy projects in the Riverina, bringing a fresh boost to the economy and diversifying industry in the region,” Executive Director of Energy and Resource Assessment Mike Young said.

This new renewable energy project will also include a battery storage facility that will be able to store solar energy that can be dispatched into the grid outside daylight hours or during periods with high power demand. The battery storage will help improve stability as well as reliability across the electricity network.

“The West Wyalong Solar Farm has the potential to save up to 190,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing NSW’s overall emissions and powering more homes with renewable energy,” Mr Young said.

Mr Young added that there have been a total of 30 solar projects approved for development across the State since 2017. These solar projects have the potential to generate up to 5,000 construction jobs and support about $5.8 billion of investment for the region.

“These solar projects have already contributed to the economies of communities throughout the Riverina and are also supporting the creation of a thriving renewable energy industry in NSW,” Mr Young said.

Approval was granted to the West Wyalong Solar Farm with strict conditions that will ensure the local community and environment are protected. Conditions include traffic management on local roads, management of construction activities on site and inclusion of landscaping to help minimise any visual impacts of the solar farm.

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Source: NSW Government; Renew Economy; PV Magazine; SolarQuotes Blog; Lightsource BP