NSW IPC Conditionally Approves Jindera Solar Farm

New South Wales’ Independent Planning Commission last week conditionally approved a major proposed solar power + battery storage project for a site near Jindera in the state’s Riverina region.

Jindera Solar Farm is to be a 150MW(dc) / 120MW(ac) PV power station that will incorporate a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with maximum capacity of 30MW/60MWh.

The development footprint would occupy around 327 hectares of the 521-hectare subject land, which is situated approximately 4 kilometres north of Jindera and around 20 kilometres north of Albury. The project area is split in to two solar farm areas linked by a narrow strip. The clean power station will connect to the mains grid via the existing TransGrid Jindera 330/132kV substation.

Jindera Solar Farm Pty Ltd is a partnership involving Hanwha Energy Corporation and Green Switch Australia. Hanwha Energy Corporation is an affiliate of Hanwha Q Cells, so while not mentioned in the documents I looked at, the chances are pretty good Q Cells solar panels will be used for the project.

The panels will be installed on single axis trackers to maximise solar energy production. According to Green Switch, it’s expected the solar farm will generate approximately 275,000 MWh per year and avoid around 92,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

Around 200 workers would be employed during peak construction of Jindera Solar Farm, and many of these could be drawn from the local area. Approximately 2-3 full-time jobs will be supported on an ongoing basis through the operation and maintenance of the facility, which has an expected service life of 30 years. After that time a decision will be made to either upgrade the facility or to decommission it and restore the land for further agricultural use.

Solar Energy And Agriculture Collide (Again)

Just on that point, the site is currently being used for agricultural purposes and this was a sensitive issue for some in the local community who believe it to be high quality agricultural land. Officially, the land capability class of the site is Class 3 (High Capability Land) and Class 6 (Low Capability Land).

During the exhibition period, DPIE received submissions from two community groups,109 members of the public and eleven agencies. Of the submissions from the public, 96 were objections.

Jindera Solar Farm is one of a number of major PV projects on the board for the Greater Hume Shire; including:

• Trina Solar’s – 200MW(ac) Glenellen Solar Farm.
• FRV’s Walla Walla Solar Farm – 300 MW(ac) (approved in late November).
• Neoen’s Culcairn Solar Farm – 350 MW(ac)

Trina Solar Australia is addressing the common concern surrounding using agricultural land for solar farms by proposing the Glenellen site could continue to be utilised for agricultural purposes such as sheep grazing, or perhaps even cropping. This proposal will be particularly important for getting the Glenellen project getting over the line as the site is classified as Important Agricultural Land.

While the Jindera Solar Farm project has the green light to proceed, this is contingent on 60 conditions imposed by the Independent Planning Commission being met.

Further information on Jindera Solar Farm can be found on the NSW Government’s Major Projects web site.