Image: Google Earth
A development application has been conditionally approved by Adelaide Hills Council for a solar farm with battery storage on the outskirts of Birdwood. But the project going ahead is not a done deal.
Tetris Energy wants to build a 4.98MWac solar facility it says will generate an estimated 12,500 MWh of clean electricity each year. A 4 MWh battery storage facility may also be included, but this is unlikely to be integrated from the outset.
The proposed facility is to be located on an already cleared site adjacent to the intersection of Warren Road and Torrens Valley Road and will connect to the Angas Creek to Tungkillo 33kV line. The 4.98MW capacity was chosen as it fits well with current loading on the line and there is also less red tape to deal with when generators are under 5MW in terms of licensing.
Tetris Energy says the solar panels to be used may be bifacial, it look like the inverters will be supplied by SMA and battery storage will be “similar to that” installed at Hornsdale Power Reserve (Tesla).
While solar farms aren’t specifically listed as an envisaged use within the Birdwood area, the Council Assessment Panel noted renewable energy facilities are generally supported by Council’s Development Plan policies when established in appropriate areas. There is a intention for continued sheep grazing on the land under and around the solar panel arrays.
Significant Opposition
The Birdwood Solar and Storage Project will be situated quite close to Birdwood homes – just a few hundred metres from the nearest residence. Zooming in on Google Earth shows the 3 houses closest to the site have solar panels installed; so those households will certainly be familiar with the benefits of PV.
In Birdwood, solar panels are a very common sight. 303 small-scale systems had been installed in Birdwood’s postcode as at September 30, which is a very impressive tally given a population just north of 1,200.
While Birdwood residents may be embracing solar panels for their rooftops, this doesn’t mean the solar farm is being welcomed with open arms. The Council Assessment Panel notes:
“Seventy eight representations in opposition and two representation (sic) in support of the proposal were received during the Category 3 public notification period.”
Ouch.
Recognising community concerns, Tetris Energy made some adjustments to its plans, including using a single axis tracking system, engaging in extensive landscaping to create vegetation screens and painting all buildings Woodland Grey to blend in better with the surrounds.
But these adjustments don’t necessarily mean the project will go ahead. It’s not clear how well-received the changes were and the Council Assessment Panel decision can be appealed with the Environment, Resources and Development Court.
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Dual solar farm & agricultural use is very rare in Australia, so it will be interesting if this goes ahead. In Birdwood the limiting factor for plant growth is water availability, not sunshine, so the cut to agricultural productivity caused by solar panels may not be large. But if they use bifacial panels, I’d expect they’d want light coloured ground beneath them.
Hi Ronald
Being a Birdwood resident for 18 years I can tell you there is considerable opposition to this project. Yes it is prime agricultural land and should not be used for an industrial project. In addition the community will get no benefit from the electricity generated, and it is a very serious fire hazard.
This proposal for the Birdwood solar farm is farcical. The site proposed is a beautiful price of land on the western approach of Birdwood bordering the Torrens River. The solar farm will destroy this landscape harm all the wonderful birdlife that uses this corridor to move through the hills. The proposed solar farm will be a fire hazard for the town of Birdwood being located on the North West corner. Prevailing strong winds associated with fire weather in South Australia, always come from the North West which puts the town directly in the fire line. There have been a number of serious solar farm fires in Australia including one very nearby at Mannum. The solar farm fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish.
I addition to all of these facts the town of Birdwood will not benefit from the electricity produced on this farm. Nor will it provide any employment for the local community.
There were 86 representations against this project going ahead versus 2 for the project. One of these was the land owner who appears to be now against this project happening, however is now tied in by contracts.
It has been very obvious that the Adelaide Hills Council were happy to have the solar farm to go ahead as it fits in with their long term plans on renewable energy. While we all applaud their position on this, Birdwood is not the position for a solar farm on a piece of very productive Adelaide Hills farming land.
We have heard that the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is financing this project. I wonder how they would feel if they knew the community was not being listened to, getting no benefit and were not behind the project.
It’s such a bad location for an industrial project and the sun does not shine for most of our winter. As a group we are all behind renewable’s, but this is just plane and simply the wrong location.