Massive solar farm earmarked for former landfill site in Plenty
Seven hectares of dirt and gravel could soon become Melbourne’s biggest solar farm to be built on a former landfill site. Here’s what’s planned for the exciting proposal in Plenty.
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Melbourne’s largest solar farm to be constructed on a former landfill site could be built in Plenty.
Nillumbik Council voted in favour of the “exciting development”, which would generate up to five mega watts of green electricity, at a council meeting on Tuesday night.
The 7ha solar farm off Yan Yean Rd would be capable of supplying all of the council’s annual electrical power consumption needs.
Mayor Karen Egan said the solar farm would significantly help the council offset its greenhouse gas emissions.
“We estimate this to be about 8200 tonnes per annum, which is equivalent to taking
about 2000 cars off the road,” she said.
“The system itself is about the size of 1000 large residential rooftop solar systems.”
Cr Grant Brooker said the council was using a similar solar farm in Newcastle as an example of what they wanted to achieve in Plenty.
“They’ve repurposed an old landfill site and turned it into a solar farm but where we are 180 degrees different from the City of Newcastle is that they are deciding to get into the energy business,” he said.
Cr Brooker explained Nillumbik Council would act as a “landlord” to the eventual owners of the solar farm in Plenty.
“We are inviting the private sector to run, own, operate and eventually transfer the asset,” he said.
“There will then be a purchasing agreement to buy our equivalent electricity we use in Nillumbik from that facility.”
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A feasibility study also investigated whether developing a large-scale solar farm at a former landfill site in Kangaroo Ground would be viable, but the Plenty site was deemed most feasible.
The council will now examine options such as battery storage and investment opportunities.
Community consultation on the proposal will start early next year.