Tender launched for Victoria’s ‘largest solar farm’

Plans to build what could be Victoria’s largest solar farm – and potentially a contender for powering Melbourne’s tram network – are gaining momentum, with the launch of a local government tender to develop a utility-scale project near Shepparton, in the state’s north.

Greater Shepparton City Council is calling for expressions of interest from parties wishing to lease Goulburn Valley Link land in the rural town of Mooroopna to host a major solar farm. Tenders must be submitted by March 1.

As reported in Shepparton News this month, the local Goulburn Valley Environment Group had previously earmarked the site as a potential solar farm, with the potential to meet an energy shortfall in Tatura and to restore the region’s label as a solar city.

The council voted in September to cast the net for parties seeking to lease the land east of Toolamba Rd and the railway line for construction and use as a solar farm after receiving significant interest.

In an interview with Country News, GV Community Energy chairman Kevin Simpson said he believed the solar farm had the potential to be the state’s largest, producing enough energy for ‘‘big users’’.

Read the RenewEconomy story - “Tender launched for Victoria’s ‘largest solar farm’.”

Solar plant plan

With its proximity to Melbourne and ‘solar city’ potential, GV Community Energy chief executive Geoff Lodge believes the region holds an advantage in being considered for a proposal to power Melbourne’s tram network via solar plants.

Mr Lodge believes a Greater Shepparton City Council proposal to create a large-scale solar farm, now accepting expressions of interest, would be compatible with the Victorian Government proposal.

The government last week revealed Melbourne’s would be powered by a large-scale solar plant to be built in regional Victoria. It would run an open tender in the first half of 2017 to help build 75MW of new large-scale solar farms by the end of 2018, a statement said.

Read Thomas Moir’s story in The Shepparton News – “Solar plant plan.”

Melbourne trams to be solar-powered under Andrews government proposal

Using solar power for Melbourne trams is
 designed to boost investment in renewables
and create new jobs for Victorians.

Melbourne’s tram network will become entirely solar-powered under a proposal by the Andrews government to build large-scale solar farms in northern Victoria.

The proposal, announced on Thursday, is part of a plan to reduce Victoria’s net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Tenders to build and operate 75MW of new solar farms will be released in early 2017 and the first solar power plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

The environment and energy minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, said 35MW of the generating power of the new solar plants would be dedicated to running Melbourne’s tram network, which would reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80,000 tonnes a year.

Read Calla Wahlquist’s story in The Guardian - “Melbourne trams to be solar-powered under Andrews government proposal.”