New Plans for Solar in West Wyalong, NSW

Lightsource BP is hosting a community information event in West Wyalong, to outline their proposal to fund, develop and operate a 248MW solar installation on an approximately 560-hectare block of land at 228-230 Blands Lane, Wyalong NSW 2671.

Aided by planning consultancy Urbis, Lightsource BP are progressing the planning application to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, while engagement firm Urban Unity are leading stakeholder and community discussions, prior to lodgement of the application. Lightsource BP and Urban Unity are inviting residents and interested stakeholders from the surrounding area to attend the community information event.

The community information event will be held at West Wyalong Services & Citizens Club, 100 Monash Street, West Wyalong, on Wednesday 7^th November. Residents and interested parties are invited to drop in at any time between 4pm and 7pm to discuss the planning proposal with members of the Lightsource BP, Urban Unity and Urbis teams, who’ll be on hand to provide information about the importance of solar in general, and this project in particular.

The proposed solar installation would generate clean and renewable energy that would power 85,572 local homes, saving 420,346 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, the equivalent of 152,101 cars off the roads. The construction of the proposed installation would also create around 350 skilled construction jobs in the region, as well as three on-going roles.

The site is currently used for crops, and the solar installation is being specifically designed to preserve the land for agricultural co-use alongside solar energy generation through sheep grazing. Lightsource BP solar installations can also support bee keeping, which may be an additional co-use for the land in the future. The project team has engaged a number of environmental assessments, and the recommendation of these together with feedback from the local community, will help to shape the final design of the proposal.

Adam Pegg, Country Manager, Australia at Lightsource BP said:

“We want to ensure that local communities in Wyalong and surrounds are informed of our plans to develop the project, and so we look forward to meeting elected representatives, local businesses and residents at the community information event. In addition to gaining feedback from local communities, we also want to provide a forum to give residents the opportunity to ask any questions they may have about the project or solar energy in general.”

Residents can obtain further information on the project, at any time, by getting in touch with the Lightsource BP and Urbis project team by calling Kristi Jorgensen  on 0406 027 365, or emailing westwyalongsolarfarm@urbis.com.au. ­