Adani says work will begin on a solar energy plant at Moranbah in Queensland by the end of the year.

The company behind the controversial Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin has gained permission to start work on the first stage of the Rugby Run Solar Farm, expected to cost more than $100 million, from the Isaac Regional Council.

Construction is expected to take about a year.

Adani has plans for several solar projects in Australia, with a combined capacity of 1500MW, in the next five years.

“This will be Adani Renewables’ first project – the first of many – and we thank the Isaac Regional Council, in particular Mayor Anne Baker and her officers for their assistance and encouragement,” Adani Renewables chief executive Jennifer Purdie said.

The 65MW first stage is expected to use the latest mono-PERC technology and single axis tracking systems, with further stages to take the generation capacity up to 170MW.