Private Energy Partners is proposing to develop two solar energy projects, Lansdown Solar North and Lansdown Solar West, near Woodstock, about 35km south of Townsville.
Together, the projects would generate up to 500 megawatts (MW) of energy.
This solar energy would power Stage 1 of a proposed metallurgical silicon production facility at our Northern Quartz Campus, which we are developing with Solquartz in the Lansdown Eco‑Industrial Precinct.
We are also proposing to develop Supernode North Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Northern Quartz Campus, which would store the energy from the solar projects.
As Supernode North is subject to development approvals, we are also planning for the option of co‑located BESS facilities at each solar site, with combined storage capacity of up to 500 MW.
The Lansdown Solar North site is about 7km north-west of Woodstock at the northern (Barringha) end of Rowe Road. The Lansdown Solar West site is about 4km south-west of Woodstock at the southern end of Rowe Road.
The sites were selected due to their proximity to Northern Quartz Campus and Powerlink’s existing transmission lines. The land is also suitable for solar energy generation.
In addition to solar panels, supporting infrastructure will be required including trackers, inverters, substations, access tracks, cabling and fencing. If the co-located BESS facilities proceed, battery containers, like shipping containers, will also be used on site.
A new overhead transmission line is proposed to connect Lansdown Solar North to Lansdown Solar West and then to the Northern Quartz Campus. The new line would run parallel to the existing Powerlink transmission line, where possible.
While the energy produced at the solar facilities will be mostly used to power the Northern Quartz Campus, we also propose connecting the projects to the electricity grid so excess energy can be used across the network.
We are undertaking several project-specific technical assessments to ensure project impacts to the surrounding community, Traditional Owners and the environment are minimised as much as possible. These assessments include technical, ecological, soil, civil and cultural heritage surveys with specific noise, air quality, reflection, traffic, visual, and social impact assessments to be undertaken.
Both solar projects are subject to Federal and Queensland Government legislation and regulations.
Development Applications for both projects will be submitted to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) in accordance with the Queensland Planning Act 2016.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) will assess if the projects will impact any Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES). MNES include protected animals, plants, habitats or places.
We have avoided areas of high ecological value and plan to offset the remaining environmental impacts through Federal and Queensland Government offset schemes.
We will keep the community informed as studies and assessments are completed and publish them on our project webpage.
We are committed to investing in the local community and believe our projects will strengthen the region by creating local jobs, engaging local businesses and sharing community benefits.
Once the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) for each project is completed, we will enter into Community Benefit Agreements (CBA) with Townsville City Council. The project-specific SIAs will inform the negotiation of project-specific CBAs with Townsville City Council.
Each project-specific CBA will ensure benefits are shared locally and deliver lasting value for the Townsville region and the Woodstock local area.
Our place-based Neighbour Benefit Program is designed to share benefits with people who live within an identified catchment surrounding our projects. We will contact site neighbours to discuss the program.
We are also consulting with Traditional Owners and together have developed a Cultural Heritage Management Agreements for each project, and an overarching Partnership Agreement for all of our Townsville region projects.
