Australia's largest solar farms are finally fully operational, more than doubling the nation's large-scale solar capacity.
The 102 MW Nyngan and 53 MW Broken Hill solar plants can generate enough electricity to power 50,000 average Australian homes.
Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, said the plants will reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 301,560 tonnes a year.
Hunt said that during construction the AGL solar plants delivered some 400 jobs and injected close to $29 million into local economies.
“The solar plants will be operational for 30 years and it is estimated more than $222 million will flow into the Nyngan and Broken Hill regions over that period through employment and direct maintenance service requirements like plant and infrastructure upgrades," he said.
The Australian Government has provided $166.7 million towards the $440 million AGL solar project with the NSW Government providing $64.9 million.
A week before the official opening, the Minister announced that 22 solar projects have been shortlisted to receive funding as part of a $100 million large-scale solar PV competitive round.
“This funding will support the development of around an extra 200 MW of large-scale solar capacity, which will again double the nation’s large-scale solar generation within two years,” Hunt said.
Last year’s federal budget provided small businesses with an immediate tax deduction for eligible assets valued up to $20,000 including solar panels, solar hot water systems, heat pumps and storage.
Australia has the highest proportion of households with solar panels in the world – about 15 per cent, according to the Energy Supply Association of Australia.
The next largest is Belgium at around 7.5 per cent and then Germany at 3.7 per cent.