The company behind the huge Sapphire Wind Farm between Glen Innes and Inverell has published plans to add a solar project.
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CWP said it had submitted an outline of the expansion, with an assessment of the impact on the environment, to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
It estimates that the solar part of the complex would be able to generate 200 Megawatts of power, roughly enough to supply 50-60,000 homes with electricity.. That is slightly smaller than the wind part of the complex, but still substantial.
Between the Sapphire wind/solar farms and the White Rock wind/solar farms plus the Glen Innes Wind Farm, all within a kilometre of each other, this small area will become one of the biggest complexes of renewable power in Australia or elsewhere.
Of this latest development, CWP’s Head of Development, Ed Mounsey, said the solar project was “first mooted in a Community Consultative Committee meeting held for the wind farm in August, 2016. Since that time there has been an on-going dialogue with landowners to define suitable land to host the project whilst not forgoing prime agricultural land.”
The company quoted Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, as saying: “With the Sapphire Wind Farm, along with neighbouring wind farm and solar farm developments, we already have more than $1 billion in renewable energy projects going ahead in the New England region.
“These projects will also see a significant increase in local employment and investment in the community, which is great news for the local area.”
Separately, two 60 tonne loads are coming through Ben Lomond on Friday on their way to the White Rock Wind Farm. The first truck is expected near the War memorial Hall at around 12.30 pm and the second an hour later. Earlier in the day, a blade will be transported through.
The company is to lay on a “sausage sizzle” at the hall, with a tea and coffee truck. Music will be provided by Shane Teinaki.
The company says these loads will not be as big as some previous ones. They will still be pretty spectacular, however. They consist of parts of the towers, rather than the blades, and will make their way from the Port of Newcastle where they have been off-loaded from a ship from China. There have been 800 movements of big loads to the farm altogether.
These deliveries don’t always go well. In January, a crane had to be used to move a truck carrying a turbine component to the White Rock Wind Farm after it broke down in Glen Innes. Another truck behind was halted by the break-down.