Solar project to raise city's renewable energy profile
Date published: 28 June 2016
A proposed $250 million solar farm in Townsville’s Upper Ross will provide a major boost for investment in renewable energy and construction jobs in the city.
A full meeting of the Townsville City Council today approved a development application from Esco Pacific to establish the solar farm on a disused mango plantation on Round Mountain Rd at the Pinnacles.
Council’s approval included amended conditions requiring an extended landscape buffer and three emergency access points in response to concerns raised by neighbouring property owners.
The decision also followed a request from councillors for information on health concerns which indicated that levels of radio frequency and electromagnetic levels at the buffer area would be lower than those produced by many household appliances.
Planning Committee chairman Cr Les Walker said the proposal was a big investment in the Townsville region’s largely untapped potential for renewable energy.
“Townsville is the sunshine city and securing a significant solar farm for the area adds an important, sustainable industry to our region,” Cr Walker said.
“The project will create 150 jobs during construction, and five permanent and 10 part time jobs during its operation.
“Renewable energy is the way of the future and it’s important Townsville, as a regional capital for the North, is supporting opportunities for the industry in suitable locations.
“The site for the Upper Ross project is well away from the built up area and has the backing of Esco Pacific, a leading developer of utility scale solar farms in Australia.
Council’s decision today also takes into account concerns raised by property owners.
“While the project is in a rural area and solar emissions are not considered a risk, the council has placed additional conditions on the development to provide an increased buffer for those people living in the locality.”
The proposal will operate on a 30 years lease on the Upper Ross property and is expected to take 12 months to construct. Esco Pacific anticipate starting construction next year.
A total of 450,000 solar photovoltaic panels will be installed over an area of 202 hectares and will generate an estimated 135Mw electricity directly into the grid.
The council conditions require Esco to extend a 3m landscape buffer of dense plantings over a wider area along the property’s Laudham Rd and Kelso Dr boundaries, and develop an emergency response plan, with three exit/access points, that meets Queensland Fire and Rescue Service approval.
Esco Pacific expects to start construction next year subject to approvals.
