Risen Energy will begin work on the Yarranlea Solar farm this month with a ceremony at the site led by LNP Member for Condamine MP Patrick Weir and Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio on Sunday 20 May commemorating the start of construction. This ceremony reinforces the commitment of partnerships between the State, Council and the Chinese-owned Risen Energy and recognise the significance of developing within the region.

Initially, construction will involve bulk earthworks to prepare the site for installation of the solar panels and substation equipment. Planting of screening vegetation will also be undertaken at this early stage. Risen Energy is set to oversee the entire project from engineering design, through to construction, commissioning and finally, operation.

Yarranlea Solar will be developing a switching station that allows the solar far to connect to the Ergon existing network. Approximately 200 jobs will be created during the construction phase of the plant with 400,000 solar panels requiring installation. The Yarranlea Solar management team is presently finalising accommodation in the nearby town Pittsworth. The farm will be located 50 kilometres west of Toowoomba on the Darling Downs. The 250 hectare farm will have a generation capacity of approximately 121 megawatts, enough to power 32,000 homes. Yarranlea Solar Farm plans to use the latest Risen Energy PV panel technology and will eventually integrate battery storage to allow it to supply power during peak demand periods.

Full construction of the solar installation is expected to continue until early 2019. The completed facility will have an operating life of 30 years, with the option for renewable extensions. At the end of the farm’s operating life, all physical infrastructure will be decommissioned, so the land will be available again for agricultural use.

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