Victorian businesses have an opportunity to get involved in the growing renewables industry, with three solar farms in development.
Melbourne Water has engaged Beon Energy Solutions to build solar farms to power the Eastern Treatment Plant in Bangholme and the Winneke Water Treatment Plant in Christmas Hills (subject to planning permit approval).
The solar farms are part of Melbourne Water’s pledge to halve its emissions by 2025 and continue on its path to reduce them to net-zero by 2030.
The Eastern Treatment Plant has been operating for more than 40 years. It treats about 330 million litres, about 40% of Melbourne’s total sewage a day.
It already has a biogas facility that generates about 30% of the electricity the Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP) needs annually to run. The approved 19 megawatts (MW) solar farm will be capable of producing up to 36 per cent of ETP’s power needs.
The proposed solar farm at Winneke Water Treatment Plant will generate renewable electricity to help meet the plant’s power needs.
Work packages for both Eastern Treatment Plant and Winneke Water Treatment Plant solar farms are currently listed on a single Gateway page.
They include a wide range of materials, services and labour such as:
- thermal sand and quarry materials
- CCTV supply and installation
- site signage
- labels
- transport & logistics
- cleaning services
- fencing – permanent and temporary
- landscaping
- mechanical servicing
- plant & machinery hire
- site amenities & buildings
- HV inspection services
- trenching.
Meanwhile, owners of the proposed Perry Bridge Solar Farm, near Sale, have submitted a planning permit application to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
The 44MW Perry Bridge Solar Farm, with battery storage, will convert energy from solar irradiation into electrical energy, which will then be fed into the electricity grid via the local AusNet 66kV network. It will generate enough electricity to power around 13,000 homes.
The project involves the solar farm as well as a 33/66kV substation and an operations and maintenance building.
According to the project website, the Perry Bridge Solar Farm will deliver reliable power to the local community. Two other larger proposed projects are also being developed by project originator, Solis RE, in the Gippsland region.
The Perry Bridge Solar Farm will help address the need for additional electricity supply and increased reliability within the region east of the Latrobe Valley.
The project owners are committed to maximising opportunities for local businesses to supply goods and services to the project and have listed a range of opportunities on the ICN Gateway Page.
ICN Industry Consultant Colin Young said this early engagement is a “general collection of interest” rather than a procurement process. He encouraged local suppliers to get on the front foot while the planning application was being assessed.