In April 2018, George Town Council issued Development Consent for the George Town Solar Farm. The approval allows for construction, operation and decommissioning of a solar farm that will supply enough renewable energy to power 1,200 homes.

Epuron is very excited to see the project enter the next phase of development. We appreciate the efforts already made by Council and the local community to reach this milestone, and we are committed to continuing our engagement with all project stakeholders.

What does this mean for the project?

George Town Solar Farm is approved to have a generation capacity of up to 5 megawatts (a.c.) and occupy up to 12 hectares alongside the George Town Airport. A 22 kilovolt powerline will connect the site to the nearby George Town substation.

The project will use standard, flat solar photovoltaic (PV) modules (commonly used on residential rooftops) attached to ‘tracking’ mounting frames. Tracking frames adjust through the day to ensure that the modules are always facing the sun, which increases the energy output.

What are the next steps?

We are now finalising the grid connection arrangements for this project. This involves a detailed study of the technical options available for connecting the solar farm to the grid. The outcome of this process will be a formal Connection Agreement with TasNetworks.

The evolution of Australia’s energy policy, particularly in relation to the National Energy Guarantee (NEG), creates uncertainty in the financing opportunities for renewable energy projects. In light of this, we are currently evaluating the next steps for this project including a target date for construction.

Where can I find further information?

You can find the details of the Development Consent, and subscribe to email updates via this website:

www.epuron.com.au/solar/george-town-solar/

You can also contact our project manager, Shane Bartel, in relation to any matters on this project.