Planning approval granted for Bomen Solar Farm

Renewable energy company Renew Estate has been granted planning approval to build Bomen Solar Farm, a 120 MW project near the Bomen Business Park in Wagga Wagga. The approved project includes a 40 MWh battery storage system.

When built, Bomen Solar Farm will provide enough renewable energy to power the equivalent of approximately 36,000 homes with clean, green energy. The project will utilise tracking photovoltaic (PV) systems which will increase the energy generation at the start and end of each day when energy demand is high.

“All elements needed for development — such as connection, procurement, offtake and financing — are well advanced, and we will proceed with construction of this project shortly,” said Renew Estate Director Simon Currie. “We believe that the Bomen Solar Farm project will play an important role in the development and expansion of the Bomen Business Park.

“A solar farm of this size plays a key role in both diversifying and strengthening the state’s energy mix. Equally importantly, and this is critical to Renew Estate, this project will deliver a range of enduring and tangible benefits to the local community.”

At its peak, a 120 MW DC solar farm requires about 200 workers on site. Currie said, “We are committed to maximising the opportunities for local industry and service providers in the construction of this project, particularly given the skilled local labour force and strong industrial capabilities of the region.”

WIRSOL Energy is a major shareholder of Renew Estate and owns one of the largest portfolios of solar PV projects in Australia. The company’s Managing Director, Mark Hogan, said, “We are passionate about delivering low-cost solar energy produced by this project to businesses both in the Bomen area and beyond. This is an exciting time for the solar industry in Australia and Bomen Solar Farm will assist WIRSOL in reaching our target of 1 GW of solar generation in Australia.”

Bomen Solar Farm is the second of Renew Estate’s renewable energy projects to be granted planning approval, with the first being the 300 MW Rodds Bay Solar Farm near Gladstone in Queensland — one of the largest projects under development in Australia.

Construction of the Bomen Solar Farm is expected to commence shortly. The project is scheduled to be fully operational by Q4 2019.

Image caption: The Gannawarra Solar Farm, which is 94.9% owned by WIRSOL.