WIRADJURI elder Riverbank Frank Doolan summed up yesterday's launch of the Soleir Dubbo Solar One Project nicely: "This would have to be one of the best projects for Dubbo in recent history."
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"When we learn to live in this country in a way which is sustainable is when we will really learn to love it," he said.
Just 150 metres and the Boothenba Road separates the regional solar farm showcase and an Essential Energy power line, and from October power harvested free from the sun will begin to enter the grid.
The land is part of a buffer zone around the sewage treatment plant and to date was used for grazing cattle.
However, after June next year it should be home to a 2.5 megawatt solar farm which should generate enough electricity to supply 2500 homes.
The proposed utility-scale photovoltaic solar farm will be built by Australian solar energy company Soleir, on just under 25 hectares of grazing land at Boothenba Road, Dubbo.
The site has been leased by Soleir for 30 years, with the construction of the first two 5kW PV Soleir Systems now complete. Each system comprises 18 PV panels and a 5kW inverter, and has now validated proposed design and construction methods for the project and will be used to market the project to potential investors.
Soleir executive director Rohan Gillespie said currently the project was seeking "sophisticated" investors who would buy a minimum 10 panels at $6500 a panel.
The proposed funding structure for the project will also see, for the first time in Australia, unitised ownership of a utility scale solar project by investors.
According to Dubbo City Council mayor Mathew Dickerson, the Dubbo Solar One Project benefits the local community on many levels.
"Dubbo already has the highest adoption rate for rooftop solar, with this project further consolidating our commitment to helping Australia meet its 2020 renewable energy target.," he said.
Mr Gillespie said with about 40 per cent of the project costs to be spent locally [in structural steel, earthworks and concrete supply], it boosted the local job market and economy.
"While we can't avoid using imported panels and invertors for the project, from the steel fabrications and concreting, to the planning, transport and drilling of the holes in the ground, we have ensured that we use local businesses, contractors and suppliers where ever possible," Mr Gillespie said.
Soleir expects to proceed with the full scale Dubbo Solar One Project in late October or November this year and completed by mid-2014.
Soleir will be exhibiting at the Dubbo Sustainable City Expo on September 28 to provide further information about the project and investment opportunities.
