Australia’s renewable energy push continues with a massive solar farm in NSW. 

The federal government has approved the Goulburn River Solar Farm in the Upper Hunter region, set to generate 450 megawatts of power, enough to supply 191,000 homes.

Located 28 kilometres southwest of Merriwa, the $880 million project includes one million solar panels and a battery energy storage system (BESS), which will store excess solar power for use during night-time and peak demand periods. 

The facility, positioned between the Central-West Orana and Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zones, will have direct access to the existing electricity transmission network.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says the government has now approved enough renewable energy projects to power over seven million homes.

The solar farm is expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 733,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to removing 220,000 cars from the roads. 

Construction will generate up to 350 jobs, with 10 ongoing positions once the facility is operational. 

Local workers and businesses should be prioritised, and upgrades to roads and infrastructure have been included following community feedback. 

Minister for Planning Paul Scully emphasised that the project supports local energy security and economic growth.

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