A development application for a proposed solar farm in the Northern Midlands would be built on a 200-year-old family farm, part of which is already committed to a conservation covenant.
Submitted by state renewables company TasRex, the application is for a 288 megawatt solar energy farm, projected to be completed in 2026 following approval.
Project proponent and owner of the land Roderic O’Connor said he was “incredibly excited, for more than one reason”.
“Not only for being involved in a renewable energy project, but to me, it gives us it’s something that actually continues our family business, which has been here for quite a long time into the future,” Mr O’Connor said.
He said the farm runs sheep and cattle, as well as several conservation projects.
“We have a very large conservation program and are also involved in a carbon project.. ironically, the conservation program actually surrounds the solar project,” he said.
“It’s completely encased in a perpetual covenant.”
The property encompasses 17,400 hectares which is 35 kilometres south of Launceston. Mr O’Connor said he met with TasRex a year ago to look at places where they could build the farm.
“I thought well hang on, here’s a patch of ground that has sort of a relatively lower value as close to the transmission line and I had a light bulb moment,” Mr O’Connor said.
“We’ve run with it from there with TaxRex and I’m incredibly excited.”
He said he liked the long term nature of the project. “I took a punt at saying I think the timing is right, I think renewable energy is here and we need to make greater targets within this state,” he said.
“For my family, it’s something that we really wanted to do; I want reason for my children to have some existence beyond farming into the future.”
TasRex director Simon Reed said the solar farm would comprise of 677,000 solar panels, and sit on some 600 hectares of the land.
“From a delivery point of view, we know we can , from order, actually have the solar panels and frames on island within 22 weeks,” Mr Reed said.
He said Northern Midlands council were supportive of the project.