The Gladstone Regional Council has granted planning approval to renewable energy company Renew Estate for its 300MW Rodds Bay Solar Farm development located near the town of Bororen on land that is used for grazing, approximately 50 kilometres south of Gladstone in Queensland.
Once completed, this large-scale solar farm is projected to produce 625GWh of renewable energy annually, which is enough to power up to 88,000 homes in the region.
According to Renew Estate Director Simon Currie, this project will play a major role in Gladstone’s development as the State’s energy capital. He added that the Rodds Bay Solar Farm will be able to provide a considerable amount of opportunities for local contractors, workers and businesses.
“Renew Estate is committed to delivering tangible, meaningful and enduring benefits to the people, the businesses and the communities who are our neighbours.
“At its peak, a solar farm of this size requires about 300 workers on site. We will collaborate with local training organisations to ensure local jobseekers have the skills needed to construct and operate a solar farm, and we will prioritise the employment of locals in enduring roles once the project is operational,” Mr Currie said.
Renew Estate is expecting to commence construction on the solar farm in late 2018, with Rodds Bay Solar Farm projected to begin operations by the first quarter of 2020.
Renew Estate is co-founded and funded by German company Wirsol Energy.
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Source: Wirsol Energy, PV Tech, Renew Economy, The Gladstone Observer, Rodds bay Solar Farm