More Queensland projects have been chosen as part of the latest Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) funding round than any other Australian state, with six large-scale solar generation plants to be built in regional Queensland.
Five plants in New South Wales, and one plant in Western Australia has also been slated for funding. All twelve solar farms expected to triple Australia’s large-scale solar capacity from 240 MW to 720 MW, providing enough energy to power 150,000 average Australian homes and deliver one tenth of the new capacity required to meet Australia’s 2020 renewable energy target.
According to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Queensland projects are expected to provide "300 megawatts of renewable energy generation capacity as well as boost investment by $500 million and create more than 500 direct jobs and hundreds more indirect jobs in regional Queensland."
Image Courtesy of ARENA.gov.au
The largest solar farm in Australia will now be located on the Darling Downs, with The Whitsunday, Kidston, Oakey and Longreach Solar Farms also successful in securing State Government support through long-term revenue contracts.
| Applicant | Project name | Size (MW AC) |
ARENA funding | Total project cost | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Energy | Darling Downs Solar Farm | 110.0 | $20 m | $216.7 m | Dalby, QLD, QLD |
| Edify Energy with Solar Choice | Whitsunday Solar Farm | 58.1 | $9.5 m | $122.4 m | Collinsville, QLD, QLD |
| Genex Power | Kidston Solar Farm | 50.0 | $8.9 m | $126.2 m | Kidston, QLD |
| RATCH Australia Corporation | Collinsville Solar Power Station | 42.0 | $9.5m | $95.9 m | Collinsville, QLD |
| Canadian Solar (Australia) | Oakey Solar Farm | 25.0 | $2.2 m | $47.5 M | Oakey, QLD, QLD |
| Canadian Solar (Australia) | Longreach Solar Farm | 15.0 | $1.3 m | $28.7 m | Longreach, QLD, QLD |
| TOTAL | 300.1 |
$51.4 m | $637.4 m |
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said construction could start and finish as early as next year.
“It is now up to successful companies to deliver these projects in line with ARENA’s requirements, which could see all plants built by the end of next year. This is an aggressive timetable to lock in financing, off take arrangements, connection agreements and required approvals," said Mr Frischknecht.
“The projects delivered through the ARENA funding round will build on current expertise and generate new knowledge for the burgeoning large-scale solar sector including co-location of solar and wind.
“Australia’s big solar revolution is tantalisingly close and, as more home-grown businesses step up to provide construction, engineering and financial services, this newest tranche of ARENA-supported projects is well positioned to take the sector even closer to commerciality.”
If you'd like to hear more about renewable energy projects in Australia, subscribe to Felix Project News. We'll send updates straight to your inbox, so you don't have to go digging for industry dirt. Simply click the 'subscribe now' button below.