Another Queensland large-scale solar plant is now contributing to the state electricity grid.
The Lilyvale Solar Farm is a 100 MW generator located 50 km north-east of Emerald in the Central Highlands.
RenewEconomy reports that the NEM Review energy data collator recorded the solar farm’s first power uploads last week.
Lilyvale Solar Farm now up and running
The Lilyvale Solar Farm has been a long time in the making. Energy Matters first reported on the 100 MW facility in 2015 when the Central Highlands Regional Council granted approval.
Spanish company Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) developed the facility. State government-owned transmission system operator Powerlink then connected the solar farm to its high voltage electricity transmission network.
However, a decrease in its marginal loss factor figure (MLF) already threatens the Lilyvale Solar Farm’s financial success.
Last year its MLF was 0.8675, now reduced to 0.8855 in 2019-2020. Set by the market operator, the lower the MLF, the less return there is for power produced. Read this post on marginal loss factors (MLF) for an explanation of how it affects revenue.
Queensland large-scale solar leads the way
Queensland has the largest uptake of both small-scale (e.g. rooftop panels) and large-scale solar in the country.
Some 1,749 MW or 19 per cent of the state’s energy comes from solar. Large-scale solar makes up 740 MW of that power.
Not content with the lion’s share of solar generation, the state government issued a solar farm guide for local government in October last year.
The 25-page ‘Queensland solar farm guidelines’ provides detailed guidance for the development of solar farms that supply 5 MW or more electricity to the grid.
Wind farm gets the nod from Queensland government
Meanwhile, the government has approved a 240 MW wind farm in Queensland’s Western Downs region. UK-based Renewable Energy Systems (RES Group) received the green light to build the wind farm at Dulacca.
Llion Parry, development project manager at RES Australia, said in a statement the construction of the $450 million facility begins early 2020, with a 2021 completion date.
The project involves erecting 56 wind turbines at a site 250 km northwest of Toowoomba. Construction should create 400 jobs with 35 employees retained after that.
