October 26, 2022
South Burnett councillors have been briefed on a proposed 250-275MW solar farm which proponents hope to build north of Blackbutt.
Jim Gleeson, from community engagement company Plan C, and Sera Rohan from town planners Gilvear Planning, made a presentation to Council at Wednesday’s general meeting.
Australian Solar Enterprises (ASE), a Queensland-based company, hopes to build the Tumuruu Solar Farm on a 673ha block at 341 Bowman Road, Taromeo.
ASE CEO Chris Elder also spoke to the meeting via videolink.
Mr Gleeson said existing power transmission lines run through the block which makes it suitable for a solar farm.
ASE aims to use 59 per cent of the land with vegetated buffer setbacks of 15m on the property boundaries.
Mr Elder said ASE’s intention was to maintain the rest of the site, which is quite hilly, as a rural property with cattle and the existing homestead.
ASE plans to use a new solar panel mounting technology which is low-profile (100cm high), creates less disturbance to the ground, and is more efficient.
The PEG system, by Jurchen Technology, requires no trenching or extensive earthworks, foundations or concrete, and can be installed by hand.
Mr Gleeson said the solar inverters would be moved as far away from neighbours as possible to reduce any impact from “hum”.
An information sheet has already been distributed to rural residential residents in Bowman, Old Esk, Cameron, Emerson and Franks roads as well as businesses in the local area.
Mr Gleeson said 115 letters and emails had been sent with more community engagement planned.
Six responses had so far been received, with residents raising questions over dust, water flow, rural amenity (views and outlook), noise and increased traffic.
Mr Gleeson said ASE was endeavouring to respond to these queries as part of the community engagement process.
Ms Rohan said the Bowman Road property had been used in the past for cattle grazing with a former strawberry farm located in one section.
It is Class C agricultural land, ie. pasture land that is suitable only for improved or native pastures due to limitations which preclude continuous cultivation for crop production.
The company is currently in the preliminary community engagement phase of the project, meeting on Wednesday with Council, residents and other stakeholders.
Mr Gleeson said future community engagement next year would include open days, a demonstration set-up, community drop-in sessions, workshops and further councillor presentations.
ASE plans to lodge a Development Application with Council in mid-November and, if this is approved, to start construction in 2024 to have the solar farm operational by 2025.
Cultural heritage assessments would be undertaken as part of the Development Application.
Mr Gleeson stressed this was just a broad timeline.
ASE believes up to 80 jobs would be created during construction of the solar farm, with 6-10 jobs for the life of the project.
The company says a preliminary concept plan for the site has been prepared.
It welcomes feedback and questions via its website or an online survey
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