The Hazelwood North Solar Farm is a 450MW renewable energy project set to become the Victoria’s largest solar facility.
The Hazelwood North Solar Farm development will span 1100 hectares of land between Morwell and Traralgon in the Gippsland region of Victoria, an area recognised as a Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
The region has long been viewed as an ideal location for large-scale renewable projects due to its strong potential for solar generation.
Once complete, the $651 million Hazelwood initiative will provide power to approximately 150,000 homes, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 700,000 tonnes annually.
Victoria Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, highlighted the importance of this project, which promises to bring more than just renewable energy
“The Latrobe Valley has been the home of Victoria’s energy generation for decades, and our nation-leading targets are helping solidify its role in our renewable energy future,” D’Ambrosio said.
During construction, it will create around 500 jobs and power 150,000 homes, injecting vitality into the Latrobe Valley’s economy, an area reliant on fossil-fuel power generation.
“As our transition to renewable energy continues across the Latrobe Valley, we’re supporting another valuable project that will boost cheap energy, and support jobs and economic growth for communities across the region,” local Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said.
In addition to its solar capacity, the Hazelwood North Solar Farm will be equipped with a 450-megawatt (MW), four-hour battery energy storage system (BESS). This will allow the facility to store excess solar energy produced during the day and release it into the grid when demand is highest, enhancing grid stability and ensuring a consistent power supply.
The Hazelwood North Solar Farm is set to play a pivotal role in helping Victoria achieve its ambitious renewable energy targets. The state aims to source 65 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2030, with a further increase to 95 per cent by 2035.
In addition, Victoria has set a goal of achieving 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of energy storage capacity by 2030, which will increase to 6.3 gigawatts (GW) by 2035.
Victoria Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, emphasised the project’s contribution to the state’s lofty goals.
“The approval of the Hazelwood North Solar Farm will strengthen Victoria’s renewable energy industry and provide cheaper, cleaner power to thousands of homes,” Kilkenny said.
The proposed site for the Hazelwood North Solar Farm has been carefully designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising energy production. The facility will be bordered by native vegetation landscaping to screen it from surrounding land and reduce visual impact. A 30m firebreak will be created between the vegetation and the solar panels, enhancing safety measures in the event of a bushfire.
The design of the facility also incorporates features that allow for minimal disruption to the land.
The solar panels will be installed on elevated frames, positioned around 0.5m above the ground, an approach designed to minimise ground disturbance and support continued agricultural activity on the land, a practice known as “agrisolar”.
This innovative method enables the land to remain productive for farming while generating renewable energy.
Article by Tim Hall from Ecogeneration