The New England Solar Farm was recognised in the Climate Council Choice Awards in the Greener Grazing category for successfully integrating large-scale renewable energy with traditional farming.
The annual Climate Council Choice Awards aim to highlight and celebrate how renewable energy projects can positively transform the local communities they integrate into.
The project occupies 1,500 acres of grazier Simon Wood’s property, allowing him to run sheep beneath the solar panels.
It is one of Australia’s newest and largest solar farms and provides ideal grazing conditions for Mr Wood’s flock of around 6,500 sheep, offering extra protection for the grass from summer sunshine and winter frost, as well as a passive income for the property.
“Diversity in terms of crops and livestock is something I think that local landholders have always considered around here; being involved in a project like this is just an extra step in drought-proofing the property and providing some extra income security,” said Mr Wood.
“On a personal level, I’ve got three kids, so it’s really important to me to be able to look towards the future and see if we can reduce our impact and be better for future generations.”
Mr Wood is one of several landholders in the area involved in the New England Solar Farm project. He says his experience working with project owners ACEN Australia has been extremely positive.
“They’ve always been fantastic to work with – they’ve been very accommodating to landholders, are always very considerate of our concerns regarding things like animal health and are very open to feedback, which is what’s made it such a successful project,” said Mr Wood.
The first stage of the New England Solar Farm, which consists of approximately one million solar panels, was completed in 2023.
Stage two is under construction now and will add more panels and a large battery system. Once completed, it will produce enough renewable power to power approximately 300,000 homes and store enough on-demand energy for approximately 175,000 homes.
Tara Toomey, a local small business owner and community leader, highlighted ACEN’s broader support for the region through its sponsorship of the Season of New England festival. ACEN contributes $5,000 annually and staffs a water tent at the event to help support the festival’s sustainability goals.
“I feel that ACEN genuinely wants to see our community prosper,” said Ms Toomey.
“They participate in the Seasons of New England Festival in an environmentally conscious way and in a way that I consider to be an act of service.”
“I’m very grateful for their annual involvement with the festival; it’s been a very positive experience.”
ACEN Australia’s Head of Construction and Engineering, Tim Greenaway, said, “ACEN Australia is extremely proud of how New England Solar has been developed and operates so grazing and large-scale renewable energy generation can co-exist onsite.”
“We worked closely with our host landholders from the earliest days of the project to codesign a solution, including landholder access to the site, features for sheep safety and water sources.”
“The region produces some of the world’s best quality fine wool, with multi-generational farming families supplying premium export markets. At the same time, hosting the project enables our landholders to diversify their income and helps drought-proof their operations.”
“We’re thrilled to be recognised in the Climate Council’s inaugural awards and to have another opportunity to show how well-designed energy projects can coexist harmoniously with sheep farming.”
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