Solar-powered suburb streets ahead of Rockhampton

Developer’s renewable energy vision for a 392-lot housing estate in Central Queensland is streets ahead of anything else in residential Australia.

Developer Leon Key has laid out a groundbreaking pathway to a renewable energy future at a newly approved 392-lot housing estate with a plan to turn its roadways into solar systems.

The Procon Developments boss’ vision for solar powering Mildura Rise Estate just north of Rockhampton appears to be streets ahead of anything else currently in this space in residential Australia.

Global company Solapave claims its “computer in the road” innovation not only generates clean energy but also enables a fully electrified future for mobility, including dynamic EV charging.

Solapave claims its ‘computer in the road’ innovation not only generates clean energy but also enables a fully electrified future for mobility, including dynamic EV charging.

Mr Key revealed his ambitious power plan for the emerging suburb on the Bruce Highway to Livingstone Shire councillors at a meeting earlier this month.

“We like to challenge and innovate,” he said, as he began playing a video of the Solapave power system.

“This is a product that basically turns roadways into solar systems, instead of having to create solar farms on usable agricultural land.

“This system (advanced solar technology integrated directly into road network surfaces) becomes your mains power, your battery storage system plus a bunch of other benefits to it.”

Mr Keys said his company was currently doing a “deep dive due diligence” on the Solapave system proposed for Procon’s AvonWest transport and logistics hub project in Western Australia.

He said Solapave was a “one boot fits all system” used throughout the Northern Hemisphere and, with Australia boasting possibly the highest road area per capita in the world, it made sense to harvest that enormous solar power potential.

“We did a worldwide scan on this (type of technology) and our contacts in Singapore and Thailand tracked this (Solapave) down.

“(They have) projects going on in the UAE right now and in North America doing a test case.

“There is a test project in Bankstown (Sydney) with this product and (Solapave’s) senior directorship is in Australia right now.

“On scale, this (Mildura Estate) would probably be the biggest one they’re contemplating in Australia at the moment.

“If this does everything they claim it does, this could be a community management system delivering renewable energy to lower costs per household.

“It’s the storyline that got us involved and it’s a hell of a storyline in terms of grand initiatives and outcomes.”

The updated development site plan for 392 lots at Mildura Rise Estate near Rockhampton.

Solapave’s website says it began as an ambitious research and development project in 2013 with a singular goal: to create the world’s toughest solar panel.

“What started as a quest for durability transformed into a groundbreaking solution for a range of modern and future challenges,” it says.

“Solapave is a fully functional road surface but under that tough veneer is the beating heart of 21st Century technology.

“It bridges the gap between energy generation and demand timing, addressing the inefficiency of renewable energy production that peaks during low-demand daytime hours.

“By integrating energy storage and real-time computing, Solapave has become an essential part of a sustainable energy future, solving critical infrastructure problems while optimising power generation and consumption.”

Mr Key said following this week’s development approval by council, offsite work such as engineering would begin immediately.

A locality plan for the 392-lot Mildura Rise Estate at Rockyview.

He was pleased to have achieved Bruce Highway access approval following three years of negotiation with the Department of Transport Main Roads.

The residential lots will be built over 11 stages but My Key said customer demand would dictate the time frame for release.

“The quicker this goes, the better for us. We won’t be holding back,” he said, adding they had spent close to $1 million on the development application.

“This is the first domino in developing the northern corridor. We have every reason to get this going quickly.”

Livingstone Shire Mayor Adam Belot the development had been carefully designed to meet the highest standards, incorporating essential infrastructure such as new roads, water, and sewer connections.

“The Queensland Government has approved direct road access to the development from the Bruce Highway as part of the first stage. This will provide safe access to the development while also benefiting the overall road network for all residents,” Cr Belot said.

“There is a significant community demand for more housing within our region, and we need to meet this demand by ensuring additional residential land is shovel-ready.”

He said the estate provided a diverse range of lot sizes, the smallest being 1013 square metres and the largest 8719 square metres, with an average size of 2078 square metres.

“Mildura Rise offers families a choice of larger lots compared to nearby north Rockhampton residential developments, such as The Gardens on Norman Road, where the average lot size is 400 square metres, or Elida, which offers lots between 440 square metres and 1000 square metres,” he said.

“The design and layout of the development were key considerations in council’s decision, reflecting a balance between growth and maintaining the local character.

“Council worked with the developer to ensure that the estate’s larger allotments (greater than 2000 square metres) are positioned closer to the existing community boundaries to the north and south, transitioning to smaller-sized allotments toward the centre of the development.”