Council allows more time for massive solar development

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council has extended the approval of a massive solar farm at Bulli Creek for a further five years.

Toowoomba Regional Council has approved an extension to a development application for a massive solar farm at Bulli Creek.

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council has extended the approval of a massive solar farm at Bulli Creek for a further five years.

Proponent First Solar applied for an extension of the planning approvals for its project, originally approved in 2015, in June this year.

In documents lodged with Toowoomba Regional Council, First Solar said in the period since it had been granted approvals, "the Bulli Creek Solar Farm project has cleared nearly every other regulatory and procedural requirement to be construction ready and sufficiently de-risked for financing".

However, First Solar said it required "further time within which to secure a power purchase agreement for the first stage or stages to proceed".

In assessing the extension application, Toowoomba Regional Council planning officer Nadia McLeod said: "Given the size and scale of the development, it is considered reasonable to agree to extend the currency period for an additional five years for all stages of the development."

The project's milestones thus far included "highly advanced" grid connection studies and agreements with Powerlink with connection options for a 475MW stage, a 200MW stage, or both together totalling 675MW.

"It's anticipated these will be the sizes of the first stages towards a total project size in time of approx. 1.5 Gigawatt DC for which the site's location on Queensland's transmission network has optimal capacity," First Solar said.

The project has also received EPBC approval, signed cultural heritage management agreements with the local indigenous land group, and registered a 10km connection easement now registered in Powerlink's name, linking "the project's two proposed transformer terminals within the participating freehold to Powerlink's 330kV Bulli Creek substation".

"Given the value of daytime electricity in Queensland will remain low for the foreseeable future due to prevalence of roof top solar in the state, and while Bulli Creek Solar Farm Pty Ltd's owners have numerous PPA dialogues and negotiations on foot, it may require the mass uptake of residential and commercial battery storage of energy before the wholesale value of power in Queensland allows a bankable PPA for the project," documents said.

"For this reason we request a planning extension of five years for the various stages as

per the accompanying change request application."

Bulli Creek is roughly 35km west of Millmerran.

Originally published as