One of Australia’s biggest solar farms, in heart of Queensland coal country, reaches full commercial operations

Spanish renewable energy company Acciona Energía says that its 380-megawatt (MW) Aldoga solar farm near Gladstone in Queensland has completed commissioning and is now fully operational.

Acciona Energía completed construction of the 380 MW (480 MWp) Aldoga Solar Farm in April after only a year of work, seven months ahead of schedule, and it has now completed its commissioning process.

Located 20 kilometres north-west of Gladstone on the central Queensland coast, the Aldoga Solar Farm will generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 185,000 households.

It is beaten in size only by the Western Downs, New England and Stubbo solar farms, all rated at 400 MW, although New England is currently expanding to 720 MW.

All the output of Aldoga will be bought by Queensland’s state-owned energy company Stanwell Corporation under a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

“Completing the Aldoga Solar Farm ahead of schedule is a testament to the strong collaboration with local partners,” said Gavin Reymond, managing director of Acciona Energía Australia.

“As a renewable energy project developer, owner and operator, ACCIONA Energía is proud to contribute to Queensland’s energy transition with a utility-scale asset that delivers clean power, regional employment, and long-term community investment.”

Construction of the solar farm created 350 local jobs during peak periods and will now employ 15 permanent roles to operate and maintain the facility.

Australian-made materials and components were used in construction, with local procurement reaching up to $150 million in goods and services from local businesses and suppliers.

And in addition to completing local infrastructure upgrades as part of the construction, Acciona Energía has also launched a Small Grants Program that will fund initiatives from an array of local organisations.

Acciona Energía now has almost 2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy installed or under construction across Australia.

This includes the ongoing commissioning process for the 923 MW MacIntyre Wind Farm in Queensland, set to be one of the largest wind farms in the Southern Hemisphere when complete.

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