A ROBINVALE almond farm could produce enough solar power to irrigate 30 large farms, if the federal government chooses to direct funds to the venture.
The Bannerton Solar Project, located 10 kilometres south of Robinvale, is waiting on an August announcement by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) about which of 22 shortlisted large scale solar projects will see a share of $100 million in funding.
Philip Galloway, managing director of Syncline Energy which is developing the project, said he expected around “eight or nine” of the 22 projects to be given the go-ahead.
If the Bannerton project grant application is successful, construction is expected to commence at Andrew Fremder’s Bannerton farm by the end of the year and will run until mid-2017, employing 150 locals during this phase.
Up to 93,000 solar panels would be installed across large sections of Mr Fremder’s farm which can’t support almond trees due to a high clay content in the soil.
A solar farm between Lalbert and Kerang was also given the nod to advance to the application stage and Mr Galloway said the northern Victorian climate was the perfect environment to harvest solar power.
“It’s a sweet spot,” he said.
“There’s long days, really good radiation and it peaks in summer which is when the load peaks for irrigation.
“It’s much better than Queensland because you can set [the panels] at 27 degrees and leave them.”
Syncline have secured a UK fund manager which manages 26 solar farms around the world to be the cornerstone investor in the project, which will see energy sold directly to large energy users.
At a small community consultation session held at the Swan Hill Visitor Information Centre on Wednesday evening, Mr Galloway revealed Syncline was in talks with seven companies, and the Victorian government has indicated interest in buying power from the project.
Mr Galloway told the small group of council employees and community members Syncline was liasing with Victorian companies to manufacture the solar farm’s infrastructure, although the panels themselves will be made overseas.
“Victoria has an extraordinary manufacturing base to tap into,” he said.
“We’re looking at sourcing cables from Port Melbourne and … frames in Geelong.”
According to ARENA, large-scale solar projects remains in its infancy in Australia with only three projects commissioned and a further three under construction.
Mr Galloway said the future was bright for the solar industry in Australia.
“Wind always came out on top … it has a bit more capacity factor,” he said.
“But the price of solar is coming down.”
Syncline will deliver its application to ARENA in the middle of the year.
For more, pick up a copy of Friday’s Guardian (March 11, 2016).
