First step at Mooroopna in developing our biggest solar farm

This story is from today's
Shepparton News.

The first step to developing what could be the largest solar farm in Victoria, at a site south of Mooroopna, will be considered today.

Greater Shepparton City councillors will today vote to cast the net out for interest in establishing the large solar farm after having received ‘‘significant interest’’.

At the existing council’s penultimate meeting together — this afternoon’s special council meeting — it will consider requesting expressions of interest in leasing GV Link land east of Toolamba Rd and the railway line for construction and use as a solar farm.

A report to the meeting detailed that the council had been in discussions with ‘‘a number of parties’’ interested in leasing land for a ‘‘large scale’’ solar farm just south of Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative and that there had been market interest in a long-term lease of the land.

Council officers propose to test the market interest by calling out for expressions of interest. The chairman of GV Community Energy Kevin Simpson believes the solar farm has the potential to be the state’s largest. Mr Simpson said the group had interest in facilitating construction of a major solar generation facility. Mr Simpson estimated a facility on the site could produce enough energy for ‘‘big users’’.

‘‘We’re talking in megawatts,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not clear in the end what role we would play in that. We’ll look closely at what they’re offering. I imagine we’d be responding to that expression of interest when it comes available.’’

In relation to development of the GV Link site, the council in 2014 resolved to abandon further investment in development of the site until investment on the bypass was announced or an investor secured.

At the time, the council also resolved to make contact with federal and state governments to advise that it had been unable to meet the requirements of funding agreements to secure an investor and trigger reallocation of the remaining $2.25 million worth of Federal Government funds and $1.5 million worth of state government funds previously allocated to GV Link.

‘‘Recently, council has received significant interest for the lease of the land to the east of Toolamba Rd and the railway line,’’ the report to the meeting read.

It identified an expression of interest process — ‘‘considered to be best practice’’ — to assess market interest in the proposal as a course to best benefit from the development opportunity.

Officers expect a development to strengthen community awareness surrounding sustainable energy, generate a long term stream of income from the lease and generate employment opportunities for local contractors and businesses.

A panel of officers will assess interest submitted against a selection criteria.