Shell Australia has started construction on its first industrial-scale solar project in Australia – the 120MW Gangarri solar farm near Wandoan in central Queensland.

The solar farm will be powered by approximately 400,000 photovoltaic panels. It is expected to create 200 new jobs during the construction period and is scheduled to be completed early next year.

Once completed, the Gangarri solar farm will be connected to the National Electricity Market grid through which it is expected to power up nearly 50,000 homes.

Dr Anthony Lynham – Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, commenting on the Gangarri solar farm, said: “With Shell sanctioning this 400,000 panel solar farm it will become part of Queensland’s clean energy revolution, which is providing the world a practical template on how to transition to low emissions future.

“The Darling Downs and South West Queensland is literally an energy powerhouse, these regions have developed the unprecedented large scale $70 billion onshore gas industry from a standing start, now it hosting some of largest clean energy generators in the country.”

Shell Energy Australia will purchase an equivalent amount of electricity from the national grid and sell it to Shell Australia’s QGC business thus becoming the first customer for the Gangarri solar project. The purchased electricity will ensure the reduction of the carbon emissions of the QGC natural gas processing project.

Commenting on the Gangarri solar plant, Tony Nunan – Shell Australia chairman said: “We are proud to be investing in the ‘Sunshine State’ and Queensland is a key centre of activity for Shell’s global ambition to expand our integrated power business.

“Shell’s Gangarri solar farm will help power the operations of our QGC project and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 300,000 tonnes a year.”

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