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A number of conditions must be analysed when choosing an appropriate site for a solar farm. The choice of this particular location for the project is driven by a combination of:

• Excellent solar irradiation
• Low level of environmental impact, given that the site has been largely cleared and is heavily disturbed from previous agricultural uses
• Level terrain which enables cost effective construction and reduces visual impacts
• Ideally located adjacent to the national electricity grid, allowing for the export of the project’s renewable electricity to the existing network
• Excellent access to local and major roads

Arguably, the most critical of the above constraints that renewable energy developers face is finding suitable land that is close to a transmission line that can handle the additional load from the generation of electricity.

FRV plans to connect this solar farm to the existing 132 kV Narrabri to Tamworth overhead transmission line, which is owned and operated by Service Provider TransGrid. This powerline crosses through the site.

Narrabri has a small but growing renewable energy industry. Projects such as the Maules Creek Solar Farm will help with the region’s growth, as it transitions from fossil fuels and diversifies its local economy.

FRV is currently undertaking a thorough environmental assessment to ensure that the project is designed in a way that is sensitive to the local environment and its limitations.

The construction start date is dependent on a variety of factors, including receiving planning approval, approval from Transgrid, negotiation of a Power Purchase Agreement and completion of the project financing. Once those milestones are achieved and construction contractors are appointed, works on site would likely take approximately 14 months.

At the peak of construction, FRV estimates the project will employ 150 people. Employment opportunities will range from skilled to manual labour.

FRV hopes to commence construction for the project some time in 2027, if approved by the Department of Planning.

It’s expected that solar farms being constructed today will operate for about 35 years. After 35 years, FRV would either:

• Remove all infrastructure and fully rehabilitate the site to farmland; or
• continue to operate the solar farm, which may include upgrades to the existing infrastructure, subject to landowner agreement and any necessary approvals.

FRV is a generator or electricity, but we are not an energy retailer. This means that it’s not possible for us to provide or sell electricity to everyday households, as our business doesn’t have these capabilities.

FRV has committed to providing ongoing funding to a Community Benefits Fund, and we are currently consulting with the community and local stakeholders on how benefits can best be shared within the community.

The Insurance Council of Australia has provided commented regarding the impact of renewable energy projects, specifically solar farms, on the cost of insurance premiums for farmers. They’ve confirmed that “Solar farms are not currently impacting or influencing the cost of insurance.”

According to the Insurance Council of Australia, insurers have not raised concerns about rural properties neighbouring energy infrastructure, and it has not been a primary driver of claims denials. They’ve stated that “Premiums are rising because of the escalating costs of natural disasters, the increasing value of homes and vehicles making them more expensive to replace, and inflation pushing up building and vehicle repair costs.”

FRV will have its own insurance policies in place to provide coverage in the unlikely event that solar farm equipment is damaged by a fire, and FRV would claim against its own insurance policy for any damages to its asset.

Fire Safety is a matter of utmost importance to FRV, and the Project will have a comprehensive Fire Management Plan and Emergency Response Plan, outlining the numerous strategies in place to minimise the risk of fire spreading to or beyond the site.

FRV understands the concern of some landowners regarding potential damage to the solar farm, however, the important elements for consideration are:

• FRV is required to implement all necessary precautions to prevent and minimise the risk of fire spreading to or from the site, including fires from neighbouring landowners
• In the unlikely event that fire from a neighbouring property caused damage to the solar farm, the landowner would not be liable unless it was demonstrated the fire was malicious or due to gross negligence of some kind.
• We are confident that landowners in the region already take all necessary precautions to prevent the ignition and spreading of fires on their land

FRV is more than happy to work with insurance brokers for neighbouring landholders and provide open and transparent information about how the solar farm would manage fire risk.

No.

25% of Australian homes, airports, schools, hospitals and aged care homes have the same type of solar panels installed on their roofs. You may also have solar panels installed on your home, which operate in very much the same way.

The operation of a solar panel generates no emissions such as CO2 or any other harmful gases. There are no known situations in which being near a solar farm can adversely impact your health and this has been demonstrated by the thousands of solar farms installed throughout the world.

The solar cells are composed of thin silicon wafers, that are made of refined silicon dioxide – which is the same material as sand or quartz, used in making glass. The solar panels are also sealed, which means that they are fully contained to outside elements. Any damaged or broken panels would be quickly replaced by the dedicated site staff.