The Axedale Solar Farm is a 140 megawatt solar project located on a 365 hectare non-irrigated site, seven kilometres north east of the small central Victorian township of Axedale. It could also include a battery energy storage system with a capacity of up to 50 megawatts for two hours and used either to dispatch energy to the grid at times of high energy demand or provide system strength to the network when required.
Planning approval was granted by the City of Greater Bendigo and Campaspe Shire Council in March 2020.
Conditions on the development during construction and ongoing operation include:
Protection for small parcels of remaining native vegetation and a waterway which runs through the site
Requirements to manage pests, weeds, stormwater and erosion
Submission of management plans for construction, traffic management, waste, environmental risks and noise
A Cultural Heritage Management Plan in cooperation with the Taungurung Land and Waters Council has also been completed. The plan provides guidance on measures before, during and after construction to manage and protect Aboriginal cultural heritage on the site.
The project is expected to have a working life of 30 years. At the end of its useful life, the solar farm can be decommissioned, and the land returned to a state suitable for previous uses.
Axedale Solar
Powering Victorian homes
Axedale Solar will produce enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 55,000 Victorian homes via an existing 220kV transmission line that crosses the site.
Rows of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels will be installed on a single axis tracking system that follows the path of the sun, while also allowing adequate space for sheep to continue grazing on the land in-between and underneath the panels.
At a glance
Up to
190MW
capacity
Offset
200,000
tonnes of CO2 emissions per year
Power more than
55K
average Australian homes each year
RENEWABLE ENERGY IS HERE NOW
Right now, across Australia, renewable energy is powering millions of homes and businesses. It’s creating thousands of jobs and reducing bills.
Built on a foundation of trust and shared value, we seek to develop relationships with communities that create enduring and positive impact.
As part of our commitment, we plan to establish an integrated and sustainable social benefit program that will return substantial value to the region over the Project’s lifecycle, commencing just prior to Construction. In November 2021, we undertook consultation to inform what the benefit sharing framework could look like. This included a series of initial stakeholder discussions to test the framework as a concept and gather objective feedback.
In line with this feedback, the project will invest into delivering outcomes under three key themes identified:
Increasing economic and education participation of disadvantaged groups
Environmental conservation and regeneration
Community connectiveness
A local Community Reference Group will be established to further develop the funding model and help guide this ongoing investment for the benefit of the local community.
Jobs and business
We have a commitment to employ and buy locally where we can so we can keep the benefits local. With such a significant construction investment, it is anticipated that there will be many opportunities for regional businesses to be involved. Goods and services likely to be procured locally include:
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The 160-megawatt Axedale Solar Farm and battery project has been granted a planning permit by the City of Greater Bendigo and Campaspe Shire Councils, marking…
A planning permit application for the Axedale Solar Farm has been submitted to the City of Greater Bendigo and Campaspe Shire Council. The councils, as…
