The Australian federal government has approved Lightsource bp's Goulburn River Solar Farm project, which aims to develop a 450-megawatt (MW) solar complex paired with battery storage in New South Wales.
The UK-based solar developer, which is partially owned by BP Plc, received this approval following the clearance of its development application by the New South Wales government several months prior.
Located 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) southwest of Merriwa in the Upper Hunter region, the photovoltaic (PV) complex is projected to generate approximately 992,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually, enough to power around 191,000 homes.
The installation of roughly one million solar panels is expected to offset approximately 733,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions each year, aligning with the state's net zero emissions goals.
The project will be situated between the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and the Hunter-Central Coast REZ, ensuring direct access to the existing electricity transmission network. The selected site has been cleared and is currently used for grazing activities.
According to the project's website, construction work is slated to begin with road upgrades toward the end of 2024, creating up to 350 jobs during the construction phase.
