Contested Hunter Valley solar and battery project next to shuttered open pit coal mine is approved

A contested solar and battery project in the heart of coal country in the Hunter Valley has been approved by the NSW Independent Planning Commission, with conditions.

The Muswellbrook solar farm will be a 135 MW facility co-located with a 135 MW/270 MWh battery, and is being developed by OX2 and Idemitsu Australia on land adjacent to the Muswellbrook coal mine, part of plans to convert the oldest open cut mine into a renewable energy precinct that may also include green hydrogen.

Australian energy company AGL and coal mine owner Idemitsu also recently flagged their desire to build a 400 MW pumped hydro facility which would also utilise the mine site and would provide up to 8 hours of storage.

In 2021, Idemitsu Australia CEO Steve Kovac said the plan was “to turn an otherwise empty pit into an exciting new project that provides jobs and further diversifies our portfolio as a company.”

However, during its assessment by the state government’s Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, more than 50 public objections were filed against the project, forcing its referral to the IPC.

The submissions report put together by EMM for the project developers shows that the majority of objections to the project did not come from locals, and 60 per cent came from more than 100 km away from the proposed solar farm, including half a dozen from Queensland.

 A three-member Commission Panel subsequently met with key stakeholders, conducted a site inspection and locality tour, requested additional information from the developers, and held a public online meeting where they heard from 12 speakers and received a total of 44 written submissions.

The public meeting was held earlier this year, but was moved online after only a handful of people registered to attend the meeting in person.

At the end of its assessment, the Commission Panel concluded that the site of the former Muswellbrook Coal Mine is suitable for the Muswellbrook Solar Farm.

It said the reasons in large part was due to “its location within the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone and its consistency with the applicable strategic land use planning framework and relevant statutory requirements.”

The Panel continued, adding that the proposed solar farm represents “a significant contribution” to New South Wales’ transition to renewable energy and renewable energy targets.

Agreeing with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, the Commission Panel also deemed the Muswellbrook Solar Farm was “in the public interest.”

However, in granting approval, the Commission Panel has imposed specific conditions, including a road safety audit, a waste management plan, a biodiversity management plan, and an accommodation and employment strategy, along with a comprehensive decommissioning and rehabilitation plan.”

The Commission Panel’s expanded reasons for approving the Muswellbrook Solar Farm are set out in its Statement of Reasons for Decision.