Gold Coast developer plans giant renewable energy battery
The developer which created some of the central Gold Coast's most famous housing projects has turned its attention to renewable energy. VOTE IN OUR POLL
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THE Japanese developer behind one of the Gold Coast’s biggest housing estates now wants to build a giant renewable energy and battery facility.
Emerald Lakes developer Nifsan has lodged an application with the Gold Coast City Council to build the giant solar farm on Nerang’s Riverview Road next to the future route of the Coomera Connector.
The 600-panel complex will also feature a giant 10MWH battery energy storage system. It will generate and store enough power to run 650 homes a day.
“The design of the development seeks to use what would be otherwise under-utilised land for sustainable development, generating enough energy and storage capacity to power 650 homes a day, assisting in reducing rapidly escalating cost of living and contributing to climate change reduction,” a planning report commissioned by Nifsan reads.
“The development also gains support from the state planning policy and SEQ Regional Plan which both seek a greater production of renewable energy facilities within the State (including SEQ).
“The proposal also gains additional support through other relevant matters, most notably, the proposal contributes to the Queensland Governments 50 per cent target of renewable energy production by 2030.”
It comes a week after the federal government warned in its maiden budget last week that power prices will increase by up to 56 per cent across within two years, with a jump of around 20 per cent by Christmas.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) via its annual World Energy Outlook late last week warned the global average cost of electricity supply had risen by almost 30 per cent in 2022.
The IEA blamed the war in Ukraine for the disruption to the energy market.
The solar farm and battery complex is earmarked for a site on the former golf course of The Villa, which was one the luxury home of late Nifsan founder Toshiaki Ogasawara.
Plans lodged with the council show it will border the southernmost section of the 45km first stage of the $2.1bn Coomera Connection.
Stage 1 will run between Nerang-Broadbeach Road at Carrara and Shipper Drive, Coomera.
Council planning boss Cr Cameron Caldwell said builders and homeowners were “looking for more sustainable options”.
“Council welcomes the application in ae evolving energy production environment, we know that renewables will be more central part of the conversation,” he said.
“While council has previously approved this kind of usage, we have not yet seen a privately owned solar farm commence on the Gold Coast yet.
“We will undertake a thorough assessment, particularly in relation to visual amenity and flooding in this location.”
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