A CLEAN energy development company will begin scouring the Limestone Coast to possibly build a large-scale solar farm, which could be potentially worth up to $100m.
CountryWide Energy (CWE) will hold a forum in Mount Gambier next month to canvass business and council officials on possible opportunities for an expansive solar farm or multiple roof-top solar projects at major industrial sites.
The company is building a $45m solar panel farm at Wangaratta, which will be the largest project of its type ever built in Victoria.
CWE director Geoff Drucker said the company would investigate sites for development across the region, including Mount Gambier.
“This region would support a very large solar farm – an investment of up to $100m,” Mr Drucker said.
While the high cost of land could be a hurdle, he said the company would lease the site from the landholder.
Given the anti-gas mining sentiment in regional areas, he said a solar farm was a green alternative given there were no negative environmental impacts.
He also debunked myths that Mount Gambier was not suitable for solar projects, claiming it was more appropriate than some European countries that had recorded a rapid uptake in solar technology.
But he said four key pillars would need to be achieved before a large-scale farm could be developed.
“We need to secure suitable land that is quite flat, development approval from council and a connection agreement to plug into the transmission network,” Mr Drucker said.
Moreover, he said funding would also have to be secured given the significant construction price.
“It is a big investment, but a lot of companies are willing to invest in these projects because they are ethical and provided long-term revenue,” Mr Drucker said.
He said superannuation funds were particularly interested in investing in clean energy projects.
Mr Drucker said the Blue Lake city was particularly attractive given it was home to largescale industrial sites and close to the power distribution network.
He said his company was also keen to explore industrial-roof top projects that were potentially multi-million dollar installations at major processing sites.
Mr Drucker said the Mount Gambier district was attractive due to its large timber processing sites as well as council infrastructure such as the airport and Glenburnie saleyards.
He also flagged the Kimberly-Clark Australia site near Millicent as a potential candidate for roof-top solar panels.
“These projects would need no poles and wires and would supply long-term energy to those sites,” Mr Drucker said.
He said his company would pay for the installation and the business would rent the system.
“There would be no capital costs for the business, which would enjoy cheaper power costs,” the company official said.
Any surplus power would be fed into the state’s electricity grid, which was an additional income source.
Mr Drucker said the Limestone Coast was attractive for investment given the power security problems plaguing the state and expensive cost of power.
Regarding a large scale project, he said the company would need everything to fall into place.
“There maybe a blockage such as the lack of connection to the power grid or a problem with the land,” Mr Drucker said.
The company chief said it would take two years to get the project off the ground if suitable land was found.
He said development approvals and plans would take one year and it would take another 12 months to build.
