French power producer to build Australia’s biggest solar farm

French power producer Neoen has the go ahead will build Australia’s largest solar farm, worth $570 million, after lining up a contract to sell most of the power to a state-owned electricity company.

The state of Queensland’s CleanCo has agreed to buy 320 megawatts (MW) of capacity from the Western Downs solar farm in southeast Queensland, which will help the state’s Labor make progress on its target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030, the government said.

“As our economy emerges from the worst impact of COVID-19, we need projects ready to go that will create jobs and stimulate spending, especially in regional Queensland,” the state’s treasurer, Jacki Trad, said in a statement reported by Reuters Newsagency.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also commented on the project at the Smart Energy Council summit today, where the focus is on using renewable energy projects to revitalise the economy after coronavirus.

Ms Palaszczuk says work would begin on the Darling Downs solar farm in July, which will create 400 jobs and 400MW of renewable energy.

“As we further develop our economic recovery plan, I’ll be having more to say about how we support our infrastructure to unlock renewable energy zones in Queensland,” she said.

“Our economy is very resilient because it’s diverse and it’s decentralised. I see a future where renewables and new technologies support even more jobs in more industries across our regions.”

Reuters reports Neoen, which sees Australia as one of its key growth markets, said it expects to begin construction on the Western Downs solar farm in July, with generation from the project due to start in the first quarter of 2022.

The independent power producer rated the solar farm at 460 to 480 megawatts photovoltaic (MWp) capacity, which would be the largest in Australia, and said CleanCo agreed to buy 352MWp, enough to power 235,000 homes.

Neoen already has six solar farms, three wind farms and the world’s biggest lithium-ion battery in Australia.

Energy ministers from the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria are also taking part in the online Smart Energy Council event.

Victoria’s state Labor government Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio used her speech to say renewable energy projects would play a vital role helping coronavirus recovery efforts.

“We strongly believe that the transition to clean energy offers enormous opportunities to create jobs and drive economic growth, and we are taking action to identify and exploit those opportunities,” she said.

The summit featured Australian Industry Group chief Innes Willox, who renewed calls for a bipartisan energy policy and a reset in how the nation deals with climate change to reach net zero emissions.

Smart Energy Council chief John Grimes said the coronavirus economic crisis and climate change must be dealt with at the same time.

“This is Australia’s moment to modernise and grow the economy, create hundreds of thousands of new, future-proof jobs and position Australia as a global renewable energy superpower,” he said.

AAP Newsagency reports Australia’s conservative Liberal-National federal government is finalising its technology roadmap, which outlines economic goals for various energy sources to help the nation reach net zero emissions.

The government’s main focus has been on hydrogen, which Energy Minister Angus Taylor wants to cost less than $2 per kilogram.

Mr Taylor today relaunched the Energy Made Easy price comparison website.

Consumers will be able to search for plans using their energy meter data or by uploading a bill.

“If you haven’t reviewed your energy plan recently, chances are you’re paying too much,” Mr Taylor said.

Estimated plan costs can now include retailer solar feed-in credits while the website has also been translated into 33 languages.

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