SolarQ mentioned in a statement that the Gympie Regional Council had already approved the 350MW Lower Wonga Solar Farm on the basis that it reflects a positive progress for the local and state communities.
A report published on Renew Economy also claims that the Gympie Regional Energy Hub, which also has three stages of development, hopes to include over 1 gigawatt of PV capacity. The third stage of the project suggests one more solar farm of 800MW and a 4,000MWh/800MW of battery storage.
According to Scott Armstrong, SolarQ’s Managing Director, “We are actually designing for the future. We are looking to create the equivalent of a peaking power station. The final design of the Gympie Regional Energy Hub will meet customer demand and growth, will be scalable, dispatchable, will align with solar variability and will provide security of energy supply.”
The location of the project in Gympie has been revealed to be a former gold centre which is now utilised for fruit farming and industry. It suits the project due to certain metrics which include having a high percentage of unemployment in the area.
The project is also anticipated to create nearly 450 jobs in the span of four years, 12 jobs for 30 years during the energy hub’s operations, and other related jobs for the region.
Armstrong also revealed that the project is expected to be funded through a combination of power purchase agreements and the merchant market, after drawing in interest from investors in the private sector.
He further commented, “Our plan is to bring in (investors) who have an understanding of ultra high-speed dispatch. PPA’s tend to steralise (a project’s) capabilities. We need to start looking beyond them.”
Read the full report here.
The Second Edition of Our Renewable Energy Egg Hunt Challenge
We’re thrilled to announce the comeback of our Renewable Energy Egg Hunt Challenge for its second edition! By participating, you’ll not only hunt for knowledge and inspiration but also actively contribute to spreading awareness about
