Sunraysia solar farm, largest in NSW, gets planning approval

The 200MW Sunraysia solar farm project near Balranald in western New South Wales has become the largest solar project in the state to receive planning approval.

Solar farm developer Maoneng, which has built the smaller 13MW Mugga Lane solar farm in the ACT (pictured below), said it received the planning approval last week nd hopes to begin construction by the end of the year and to be complete by the summer of 2018/19.

mugga lane solar ACT

Maoneng says the solar farm will be located in one of the sunniest parts of NSW and is expected to produce around 530,000MWh of electricity a year. It is considering adding storage at a later date.

According to RenewEconomy data, a total of six solar farms have already begun construction in NSW – on top of the four already completed – and Sunraysia is one of at least 21 aspiring solar projects

“The development approval will be followed by further consultation with various stakeholders in developing detailed construction management plans,” Maoneng vice president Qiao Nan Han said in a statement

“This process will run in parallel to our current contractor selection process to ensure that all conditions of consent are correctly adhered to. We are looking to start construction by the end of the year with an anticipated construction period of 12 months.”

 

 

Comments

12 responses to “Sunraysia solar farm, largest in NSW, gets planning approval”

  1. solarguy Avatar
    solarguy

    Well the good news just keeps on coming.

  2. George Darroch Avatar
    George Darroch

    High irradiance, close to transmission lines – it’s in the right place.

    Does anyone know if this will be transmission-constrained?

  3. Peter F Avatar
    Peter F

    Giles
    This is all getting too hard to track, why don’t you put the running spreadsheet up on the website with announced, planning approved, construction started and grid connected columns

    1. Paul McArdle Avatar

      Another milestone update for a generator already listed in the Generator Catalog:
      http://www.generatorcatalog.info/
      more on that in the next month or so…

  4. Mike A Avatar
    Mike A

    Yet none in WA!

    1. George Darroch Avatar
      George Darroch

      Soon.

      1. Mike A Avatar
        Mike A

        Is there anything in the way in WA. Its seems easier to get large projects up in other States.

          1. Mike A Avatar
            Mike A

            Thanks that is a decent impediment

    2. John Oakley Avatar
      John Oakley

      Even less than that in the NT

  5. David McKay Avatar
    David McKay

    Is this single axis tracking? A capacity factor of just over 30% is up the top end.

  6. Marg1 Avatar
    Marg1

    Wonderful news!

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