Acciona Energy has been appointed to develop a $500 million solar farm on a 1,250-hectare underutilised state-owned land in Aldoga near Gladstone, Queensland.
According to Queensland Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick, Acciona will undertake the development, financing, construction and operation of the 265MW Aldoga solar farm under a 30-year Agreement for Lease with the State Government.
“At maximum capacity, up to 265 megawatts (AC), will deliver the equivalent amount of energy needed to supply up to 122,000 households, which is around five times the number of households in Gladstone.
“This invaluable project will support up to 240 construction jobs and 10 ongoing jobs, and better yet, the company will adopt Buy Queensland and Gladstone Buy Local procurement policies, giving preference to local sub-contractors and manufacturers,” Mr Dick said.
With the lease already in place, Acciona is now ready to undertake a feasibility study as well as work on acquiring the needed development approvals for the project.
Construction on the Aldoga solar project is expected to commence by mid-2019 and completed by 2020. The solar farm is going to be connected to the grid via Powerlink’s Larcom Creek substation once it is operational.
“We are grateful to the Queensland Government for the opportunity to develop Aldoga. The local community will play an important role in this project, with job opportunities, construction work and long-term prospects for suppliers,” Acciona Energy Australia Managing Director Brett Wickham said.
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Source: Queensland Government, Renewables Now, Renew Energy, The Gladstone Observer