Renewable energy developers Infinergy Pacific have sold Metz Solar Farm, a solar project with an installed capacity of approximately 120 megawatts, to clean energy investors. When built, the project will be one of the largest solar farms in New South Wales, meeting the annual electricity demands for up to 40,000 average homes. That is over half of the 66,000 households in New England.
Metz Solar Farm is situated near Hillgrove, 20 kilometres east of Armidale. The annual greenhouse gas emissions displaced by the project are expected to be equivalent to 225,000 tonnes of CO2. It will also save up to 350,000 mega litres of clean drinking water compared to a coal-fired power station.
The project was developed by Infinergy Pacific, a subsidiary of UK-based renewable energy company Infinergy Ltd, who obtained planning permission for Metz Solar Farm in July 2017.
Infinergy CEO Esbjorn Wilmar commented: “We are delighted to have achieved the successful development and the subsequent sale of Metz Solar Farm, all within a timeframe of 18 months. This project is part of a wider portfolio of solar farms we are working on in Australia. By the end of this year, we expect to have secured development rights including grid connections for another 300 megawatts of solar, both in New South Wales and Victoria”.
The successful development of Metz Solar Farm builds on Infinergy’s established track record as a renewable energy developer in the UK and The Netherlands. Over the last 10 years the company has been involved in the successful development of over 30 projects, totalling approximately 1000 MW in a combination of onshore wind and solar developments.
Mr Wilmar continued: “We are looking to expand our portfolio in Australia and New Zealand, both in solar and wind developments. The Metz Solar Farm has put us on the map in Australia, and we are keen to take things to the next level.”