Paget project could create more than 100 jobs

New project could create more than 100 jobs at the peak of its construction is planned for Paget

The site of BOMA Group's proposed solar farm in Paget. Picture: Shakira Sellen

A SOLAR farm that could create more than 100 jobs at the peak of its construction is planned for Paget.

Real estate developer BOMA Group lodged a development application for a solar power generation facility with Mackay Regional Council this week.

The company plans to develop the new solar farm on a 17.7ha site between Crichtons and Farrellys roads that it has owned for about four years.

BOMA group's Mackay manager Keith Parsons said the company had worked with Ergon Energy to identify the development of the solar farm.

Plans for a new electricity substation at Ooralea had been put on hold by Ergon Energy and the move had spurred on the solar farm project, Mr Parsons said.

"The provision of an alternative renewable power supply within the 11,000 volt delivery precinct of the South Mackay substation will defer this construction requirement for the foreseeable future,” the development application before council stated.

"BOMA Group has thus been working collaboratively with Ergon Energy to augment their supply needs. This project in this location has the strong backing from Ergon Energy's grid management team.”

Mr Parsons said the land originally had been earmarked for a subdivision. Pending approvals, construction could start by the end of 2017.

Once completed the facility would create four full-time jobs.

According to the development application, construction of the plant would result in saving about 5000t of carbon emissions, due to the indefinite postponement of expansion of existing Ergon infrastructure.

The solar farm also would offset the carbon footprint of it's own production more than eight times over the course of its projected 25-year life.

Combined with existing Mackay renewables, it would bring Mackay to about 20% of local consumption as green energy, the application stated.

The BOMA Group's proposal is for a system constructed on a series of elevated tables, generally containing 160 modules. Each table would be likely to be about 15m wide and 25m long.

Tables would be angled to the east and west to achieve maximum efficiency and exposure to the sun it.

Table height would be set a minimum of 0.8m above Q100 at the lowest point.

An Ergon Energy spokesman said given the very low growth in the demand for power in the area plans for a substation at Ooralea had been halted.

"The area had high growth in the demand for power during the mining boom years, so much so that a substation was identified as being needed in the future,” he said.

"However, the end of the mining boom has resulted in no significant growth in the demand for power to warrant a new substation costing tens of millions of dollars.

"The project could be revived in the future should Ergon see consistent ongoing growth in the demand for power.”

Originally published as Paget project could create more than 100 jobs