Jindera Solar Farm project is located approximately 4 kilometres north of Jindera. The site is located within the Greater Hume Local Government Area. The project area is split in to two solar farm areas linked by a narrow strip incorporating cables.

Access to the sites will be via Walla Walla Jindera Road and Urana Road.

The proposed Jindera Solar Farm would have a total installed capacity of up to 150 MW (DC), and would include:

  • Single axis tracker photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, mounted on steel frames over most of the site (around 400,000 PV solar panels) at about 3 m above ground level at maximum tilt.
  • Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with maximum capacity of 30MW/60MWh.
  • Electrical cables and conduits.
  • Inverter/transformer units.
  • Weather station.
  • On-site high voltage substation.
  • Control room and storage facility.
  • Site office, staff amenities, parking area, perimeter fencing, and CCTV.
  • Electrical transmission infrastructure and overhead transmission line to connect the proposal to the existing Jindera substation.
  • 40 m wide proposed transmission line easement connecting to the Jindera Substation compound.
  • Internal access tracks.
  • Access road entrances from public roads.
  • Upgrade to existing roads.
  • On-site vegetative screening.
  • Other associated ancillary infrastructure.

The proposal would connect directly to the Jindera Substation via a new overhead transmission line along Ortlipp Road. The development site is bounded by Urana Road, Nation Road, Klinberg Road, Walla Walla Jindera Road, Glenellen Road and Ortlipp Road.

The project area was selected because it provides a combination of:

  • Access to the electrical distribution network
  • Excellent solar exposure
  • Likely low level of environmental impact – the site has been largely cleared and heavily disturbed by cultivation and cropping
  • Level or relatively flat terrain for cost-effective construction
  • Excellent access to local and major roads.

The solar farm would consist of solar PV panels or modules (photovoltaics) similar to those installed throughout Australia on residential and commercial properties along with inverters.

The panels would sit on steel frames attached to pile driven supports. This will allow sheep to continue to graze in and around them once the solar farm is operational ensuring ongoing agricultural use of the land and also good control of vegetation.

There would also be battery storage capability to enable energy generated during the day to be stored for later use (during the evening peak period and when the electrical grid network most needs it).

The maps (above) show the development footprint and how the project is split across two sites.  The solar farm areas are shown in pink and the route of interconnecting cables is shown in yellow. The solar farm layout seeks to avoid or minimise environmental constraints.

The design will include vegetation planting to screen views into the site at sensitive locations.

Like all renewable energy projects, the purpose of Jindera Solar Farm is to transition energy production from fossil fuel-based sources to sustainable sources.

Broad benefits

Broad benefits that would be associated with the operation of the proposal include:

  • Reduced GHG emissions, assisting the transition towards cleaner electricity generation.
  • Provision of a renewable energy supply that would assist the Australian and NSW
  • Governments to reach Australia’s LRET and other energy and carbon mitigation goals.
  • Embed electricity generation supply into the Australian grid, closer to identified consumption centres.
  • Diversification of land use and economic activity in regional NSW.

Specifically, the proposal would:

  • Generate approximately 275,000 MWh of renewable electricity per year.
  • Supply enough power each year to service approximately 65,000 households (assuming average household consumption of 4,215 kWh p.a.).
  • Save around 92,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, assuming generation would otherwise use brown coal with a carbon factor of 0.33372 tonnes per MWh
  • A solar energy facility that displaces 92,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum is the equivalent of taking about 40,500 cars off the road each year, based on an average car in NSW travelling 14,000 km per year with CO2 emissions of 162 g/km

Electricity reliability and security benefits

The Proposal would enhance electricity reliability and security.

While most of Australia’s electricity is currently provided by coal-fired power stations, as many as threequarters of these plants are operating beyond their original design life. Nine coal-fired power stations have closed since 2011-2012, representing around 3,600MW of installed capacity.

Even with demand-management initiatives, the retirement of old power stations would require the development of new, reliable and low-emissions energy supply. Given the high levels of solar irradiance in NSW, the strong transmission network in the region and the declining cost of solar power over the last decade, the proposal is an important source of new power generation.

The transition to renewable energy sources based on variable wind and solar PV generators has implications for reliability and security; these sources lack usable inertia to support power system security. The NEM grid is long and linear, with much less network meshing than many international systems. Geographic and technological diversity in the network can improve security and smooth out the impacts of variability.

While grid‐supplied electricity consumption is expected to remain stable, the proposal would benefit network reliability and security by providing embedded electricity generation closer to local consumption centres, contributing to a more diverse mix of energy sources and potentially regulating inputs (including improving the security of supply).

Downward pressure on electricity prices

Household electricity bills increased 61% between 2008-09 and 2012-13, due mainly to network expenditure. Australian households would pay $510 million more for power in 2020 without renewable growth through the RET and up to $1.4 billion more per year beyond 2020. Renewables increase diversity and competition in the wholesale energy market – and as in any market, more competition means lower prices.

Variable renewable energy generation such as PV solar operates with no fuel costs and can, with the right policy framework and technological development to manage variability, be used to reduce overall wholesale prices of electricity.

Several studies on the impacts of increased large-scale renewable energy generation under the RET have indicated that this is likely to put downward pressure on electricity prices.

The solar farm would create over 200 direct and indirect jobs during construction, as well as indirect supply chain opportunities. In addition, it will employ approximately 2-3 full time staff during the operation and maintenance phase (expected to be 30 years).

The employment benefits extend through the local supply chains to fuel supply, vehicle servicing, uniform suppliers, hotels/motels, B&B’s, cafés, pubs, catering and cleaning companies, tradespersons, tool and equipment suppliers and many other businesses.

We are interested in hearing from local companies who can work with us in our supply chain to provide materials, equipment and services during plant construction and also, importantly during operation. Local, long term relationships in our supply chain are important to us.

If you would like to explore the opportunity to join our supply chain, please contact us.