Focus

Goldwind Australia are proposing a 20MW solar development adjacent to the White Rock Wind Farm.

The development is planned to form a pioneering hybrid solar/wind renewable energy facility in the New England Tablelands. The proposed project has been shortlisted in the ARENA Advancing Renewables Programme, Largescale Solar Competitive Round.

The development is planned to comprise installation of a solar farm of approximately 20MW. Significant infrastructure is proposed to be shared with the wind farm, including the grid connection, access tracks and some internal electrical cabling. The potential for the solar farm to share infrastructure with the wind farm maximises the use of available facilities without requiring construction of additional facilities elsewhere. Colocation of the project potentially unlocks over $5 million of savings.

It is anticipated that around 46,000 megawatt hours (MWh) would be generated by the scheme each year, which is sufficient to power 6,300 NSW homes annually. Through use of local suppliers and contractors, the project would bring additional investment in the local economy in conjunction with White Rock Wind Farm.

The project is in early stages of development, with a number of sites adjacent to the wind farm under consideration. It is anticipated that approximately 50 hectares would be required by the solar infrastructure. The final site will be determined prior to submission of a Development Application, which is expected in the first quarter of 2016.

Environmental surveys are underway, and the results will inform the detailed design and impact assessment. The Development Application for the project will be submitted to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure along with supporting documents. The local councils and community will be consulted throughout the development process and kept informed of progress.

Assuming all necessary approvals are secured, construction of the solar farm is planned to start in early 2017.

The ARENA Large-scale Solar Competitive Round aims to support further cost reduction in large-scale photovoltaics (PV). ARENA has allocated $100 million in funding to support large-scale solar PV projects selected through the round. As a short listed project, White Rock Solar Farm will continue development activities and in tandem progress to the next stage of the ARENA application process.

Wind and solar generation are well matched based on the different sources of energy and generation throughout daily and yearly cycles.

John Gardner, Vice President Program at Goldwind Australia, said: “We are pleased to announce the proposal for a solar project at White Rock, which represents an innovative approach to hybrid renewable energy generation. We are looking forward to working with stakeholders, landowners and the community to further this exciting opportunity”.