Risen Energy’s 100 megawatts AC Yarranlea Solar Farm is well into the second stage of construction. The solar installation is located near Pittsworth, approximately 50km west of Toowoomba on the Darling Downs. The solar farm is approximately 250ha in area, consisting of over 360,000 solar panels mounted on a single axis tracking system and will generate and deliver clean, renewable electricity to power up to 32,000 homes. It will connect to the power grid using the existing Ergon Energy infrastructure, located close to the development site. This will allow transmission of power into the Middle Ridge Bulk Supply Substation for ultimate use in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs area. The bulk earthworks have been completed by Sedl civil contractors, a local Toowoomba based firm and the substation installation is being progressed by Yurika, the “commercial” arm of Energy Queensland.
The ongoing survey works for construction monitoring are being done by Byrne Surveyors, a long-established Toowoomba survey firm. For over 50 years Byrne Surveyors has undertaken surveys throughout South West Queensland, covering the Darling Downs, Lockyer Valley, Granite Belt and Maranoa Districts. The external fencing of the solar farm is almost complete.
The primary construction contract has been awarded to Monford Group, a construction firm with sound solar farm experience. Construction of the solar farm started in earnest early in the new year with pile driving of the supports for the panel trackers. Tracker assembly will commence mid-February and the first panels will be mounted shortly thereafter.
The Yarranlea Solar Farm is utilising local resources where ever possible and we are working with the local community to deliver the project with a minimum of disruption. The Solar Farm will contribute to the green footprint of the state in support of the Queensland Government’s Green Policy. As owners of the Yarranlea Solar Farm project, Risen Energy is progressing the project from detailed engineering design, through construction, commissioning and ultimately the operation of the solar farm. It is anticipated that approximately 200 positions will be created during the construction of the Yarranlea Solar Farm.
Once operational, the solar farm will require 3-5 full time workers to maintain the installation.
Construction of the solar installation is scheduled to be completed October 2019 and once commissioned will supply green power to homes, businesses and industries in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs area. The completed facility has a projected life of 30 years. At the end of the facility’s useful operating life, all physical infrastructure will be removed, and the land returned to its former agricultural use.
“Risen Energy (Australia)’s long term goal is the establishment of 2GW of solar farms over the next few years. This reinforces our intention of becoming a key player in the national solar industry.” said John Zhong, Project Development & Investment Director, Risen Energy (Australia).
“Our first utility-scale solar farm acquisition was Yarranlea Solar Farm and construction is well underway. Merredin Solar Farm in the Central Wheatbelt area of Western Australia is our second, which we will progress from detailed engineering design, through construction, commissioning and ultimately the operation” said Zhong.