Lightsource bp unveils plans for 400MW NSW solar farm and battery

Lightsource bp – the global renewables joint venture between UK solar company Lightsource and the global oil giant BP – has revealed new plans for a 400MW PV project, plus big battery, near Goulburn in New South Wales.

The proposed Gundary Solar Farm, which Lightsource bp describes as being in the “early stages,” is one of five solar projects the company is currently working up in NSW, as part of the 2GW portfolio it plans to have established in Australia by the mid-2020s.

Another three solar projects are in various stages of the planning and development pipeline in Victoria, while the 214MW Woolooga solar farm is under construction in Queensland.

The $540 million Gundary project, which is proposed for construction 13km south of Goulburn in the NSW Southern Tablelands region, is at the site design and community consultation phase of development, with community information sessions scheduled for the end of April and mid-May.

This looks to be off to a slightly bumpy start, with the Goulburn Post newspaper reporting earlier this month that some local landowners are already gearing up to fight the project, as unsuitable for the “agricultural nature of Gundary Plains.”

According to the Post, Ann and Stan Moore, whose sheep grazing property would directly adjoin parts of the solar farm, believe the project would “set a dangerous and irreversible precedent” for further “inappropriate” developments on the region’s prime agricultural land.

Their concerns, as cited by the paper, range from the visual effect of the panels, to the project’s potential impact on flora and fauna, increased fire risk, and impact on land values – as well as concerns around the project’s real value to Goulburn Mulwaree.

Lightsource bp will need to address all of these concerns in its consultations with community, as well as claims that most of the renewable energy generated would flow to Sydney and Canberra, which the paper says Lightsource bp itself told the Moores.

“The Goulburn community gets practically nothing from the project following development whilst Gundary Plains is left with the environmental and agricultural vandalism inflicted on the farmland and native birds and animals,” Ann Moore said.

“We’re in the early stages of this project and are sharing our plans with local residents and the surrounding community to gather their feedback on the land we have identified,” the project site says.

“There will be several opportunities to attend community information sessions in the coming months. In this first stage of consultation, we will be holding a stall at the Bungonia Country Markets in April and the Goulburn Rotary Markets in May, and we would love to see you there.”

Successful community engagement will be vital to Lightsource bp’s recently announced plans to increase the size of its global solar portfolio six fold to 25GW by 2025, including a quadrupling of its Australian portfolio to 2GW over the same time frame – new ambition underscored by a $1.8 billion revolving credit and trade finance facility.

“Lightsource bp’s global commitment to “25GW of solar by 2025” is great news for the Australian renewable energy market,” Australian country manager Adam Pegg said in a statement at the time.

“With solar power continuing to be the fastest growing source of energy globally, Lightsource bp’s activity in Australia will be driven through the global funding package, enabling it to double its generation target to 2GW by 2025.”

The company appears to have been on a hiring spree lately, too, with a number of announcements of new appointments popping up on LinkedIn, including that of ex head of commercial growth at 5B, Shane Quinnell, who has taken up the role of development manager at Lightsource bp.