Aldoga Solar Farm | Construction & Energy Submission

The Aldoga solar farm in Gladstone has lodged documents with the Federal Government and is one step closer to wards commencing the construction phase. 

Aldoga solar farm

Aldoga Solar Farm Gladstone Aerial Shot
Aldoga Solar Farm Gladstone Aerial Shot (source: dsdmip.qld.gov.au)

The Aldoga solar farm is to be designed, built and operated by global energy giant Acciona Energy, who have been in Australia since 2002 and certainly know the lay of the land. It will be a 265MW farm and Acciona have already signed a 30 year lease with the State Government. It will be located at Aldoga over 1,250 hectares and is hoped to act as a “precedent for the delivery of further economic opportunities offered from a growing renewable energy sector.”

State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Cameron Dick announced in April that Acciona Energy was chosen out of 16 applicants to build the solar farm in Gladstone.

“Combined with the renewable energy that will be generated, and the lease payments that will be made to the state, this project represents a major boost to the local community – economically, environmentally and socially,” Mr Dick said.

According to the report Acciona provided to the Department of Environment and Energy on July 6 (you can click here to view it), the farm will use solar panels with single axis tracking so that harvested sunlight can be maximised. 

“There is an alternative option to install a fixed-tilt mounting structure; however, preliminary studies suggest that the single-axis tracker will be more desirable from an energy production perspective,” the report said.

At maximum capacity (265MW AC), the project is estimated to supply up to 122,000 households (or 5x the amount of households in all of Gladstone). It will have a massive amount of solar panels to reach the 265MW – over one million!

It’s estimated that around 240 solar jobs will be created – with Acciona Energy adopting Buy Queensland and Gladstone Buy Local procurement policies, giving preference to local sub-contractors and manufacturers.

According to the Gladstone Observer, construction is set to run between October next year and November 2020, with the farm operating from Nov 2020 – Dec 2050. Wonder what a solar farm will look like then? 

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Rodds Bay Solar Farm Receives DA

The Rodds Bay Solar Farm is one step closer, with its owner Renew Estate given planning approval for the 300MW farm around 50km south of Gladstone in Central Queensland.

Rodds Bay Solar Farm

Rodds Bay Solar Farm - Gladstone
Rodds Bay Solar Farm – Gladstone (source: Google Maps)

The Rodds Bay Solar Farm was given planning approval last week with 40 conditions

Renew Estate director Simon Currie spoke about the ramifications of the solar farm – solar jobs for Gladstone, lower prices for residential and commercial solar buyers. 

“At its peak, a solar farm of this size requires about 300 workers on site,” said Mr. Currie in a statement, reprinted in the Gladstone Observer:

“We will collaborate with local training organisations to ensure local job-seekers have the skills needed to construct and operate a solar farm, and we will prioritise the employment of locals in enduring roles once the project is operational.”

“More generation and competition mean lower power prices and Renew Estate looks forward to delivering the cheap solar energy produced by this project to consumers andbusinesses in the greater Gladstone area.”
 
Wirsol Energy, who are a major shareholder of Renew Estate, are no rookies to the game – with 200MW already operating or under construction in Queensland. The company has a goal of deploying 1GW in Australia, according to managing director Mark Hogan.

“This is an exciting time for the solar industry in Australia and Rodds Bay will help us quickly reach our target of 1GW in Australia.” he said.

The Wemen Sun Farm which is located close to the border of Victoria and New South Wales and approximately 110km south east of Mildura is also being built by Wirsol Energy.
 
Renew Estate are also trying to find an alternative site to build a second solar farm in the area. Plans for its Yarwun solar farm are currently on pause after residents complained about the project.
 

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Gladstone Solar Power – Installers, Plants, and more.

Gladstone solar – Gladstone has been experiencing a massive amount of interest in solar power over the last 18 months – both for residents and as a potential hotspot for solar farms. 

For a town that’s traditionally been ‘coal-based’, they’ve been very quick and forward thinking to jump on the renewables train (North Queensland solar has been growing exponentially for all of 2017)  – so if you’re looking for solar installers in Gladstone or just want to read about our projections for renewable energy in the region, please read on!

Gladstone Solar Power Installers
Gladstone Solar Power Installers (source: statedevelopment.qld.gov.au)

Solar Installers in Gladstone

Residential solar in Gladstone has been growing rapidly and there are a number of reliable installers in the local area – if you want to get a 5kw system installed, a Tesla Powerwall (or any other type of solar battery), please contact one of the installers below (and let us know how you get on!):

Do you install solar in Gladstone and would like to be included on this page? Please email us

Gladstone Solar Farms

As of October 2017 the Gladstone Observer noted that Mayor Matt Burnett has discussed their desire to become a “renewable hub” and that “numerous” companies had been courting the city in the hopes of being approved to install solar/wind farms in Gladstone. Cr Burnett noted that this doesn’t necessarily represent a ‘change’ from coal to solar, more so a diversification. 

“I believe one of these projects will start in the next 18 months, if not in the next 12 months,” Cr Burnett told the Observer – and it certainly seems that way. 

Eco Energy World has submitted a DA to build the Raglan Solar Farm at 75 and 199 Epala Road, and there is a shortlist of five companies looking to build at the Gladstone State Development Area. There’s also talk of a 450MW renewable hub at Aldoga. We’ll keep you updated with any news with regards to solar in Gladstone, watch this space! 

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