The state government has given the green light for four new solar farms that will power 103,000 homes annually to be built in the North West of New South Wales.
NSW Minister for Planning and Housing Anthony Roberts said that the construction of the new solar farms in Nevertire, Walgett, Gilgandra and Metz mean that the North West of the State is fast becoming a solar power generation hub.
The NSW government said the go ahead was given after extensive consultation with the local community, landowners and local councils. Private companies seeking to build the solar farms must now seek construction certificates.
The four new solar farms will produce 275 megawatts of energy which will go into the grid to be sold on to businesses and households. Mr Roberts said: “New South Wales continues to lead Australia in large-scale solar. We are committed to our country’s Renewable Energy Target and the State’s Renewable Energy Action Plan.” He continued: “We are well on the way toward the 20 per cent target for renewable energy by 2020. Our focus is on ensuring energy security and affordability for our communities and businesses.”
Nevertire
The Nevertire solar farm would be the biggest of the four, with capacity of 105 megawatts and the ability to annually power 39,286 homes.
Metz
Metz, east of Armidale, would be home to a solar farm with capacity of 100 megawatts and the ability to annually power 37,416 homes.
Gilgandra and Walgett
The Gilgandra and Walgett solar farms would have capacity of 40 and 30 megawatts, respectively. Together, they would power more than 26,000 homes.
The department reports of strict conditions in place to control the “construction impacts” of the projects, and ensure “no adverse visual impacts on surrounding residences”. The four new solar farms are among 16 large-scale solar projects in NSW to get a green light.“When the four new farms begin operation, NSW’s 16 large-scale solar farms will generate sustainable power for 423,000 households, with a combined capacity for 1131 megawatts of renewable energy,” Mr Roberts said.
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