This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
THE NSW state government has given Terrain Solar the go ahead to build its 152MW Marulan solar farm new Goulburn.
The solar farm and 150MW/600MWh or four-hours of battery energy storage system is located around 5km west of Marulan.
According to the NSW Department of Planning says the project will generate up to 300 construction jobs, a capital investment of $398 million.
Additionally, the project will generate up to $1.7 million in payments to Council its life, while also generating enough electricity to power about 56,000 homes.
The farm have been approved subject to several conditions, with the project to be developed on agricultural land already cleared for sheep grazing and zoned d RU1 Primary Production, which should continue on the site upon its completion.
“Accordingly, the Department considers that the benefits of the project outweigh its residual costs and that the project is in the public interest and is approvable, subject to conditions,” read the determination published by the government.
Lands surrounding the site include several watercourses, the Main Southern Railway, powerline easements, a high-pressure gas pipeline and the Hume Highway, with the site somewhat remote with only limited number of nearby residences.
This is one of many recent projects approved by the government in recent weeks, including the joint venture between Octopus Australia and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Blind Creek solar farm.
“These approvals form part of the state’s growing renewable energy infrastructure, which is playing a vital role in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and power our economy for generations to come,” said Clay Preshaw, executive director at the department of planning and environment.
“Local roads will be upgraded to support the sites and both projects involve the construction of battery energy storage systems to store solar energy and release it to the grid during peak times or outside daylight hours.”
Between the two large-scale solar farms in the Southern Tablelands region, almost 200,000 homes will be powered by clean renewable energy.
While the combined impact of the Blind Creek and Marulan solar farms will inject $900 million into the economy and support 600 construction and ongoing jobs.
“These solar farms will connect to the existing electricity network and save more than 1.06 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, equivalent to taking 2.1 million cars off the road every year,” added Preshaw.
“Having batteries attached to the farms increases grid stability and energy security, which can put downward pressure on power prices.
The department currently has a further 13 solar farms currently under assessment in the NSW Planning System.