Members of the European Energy Australia were at the Kyabram Bowls Club on Monday, February 17, to chat with businesses and members of the community about the project.
The Lancaster Solar Farm is a 106MW project located 9km east of Kyabram between Weller Rd and Ryan Rd.
Discussions in the two-hour drop-in session ranged from businesses expressing interest in participating in the project to addressing neighbours’ concerns about how power lines may affect their homes.
Project manager Steffi Fernando said the project was slated to start construction in mid-March and could be finished as early as the end of 2025.
The project was initially proposed in 2018 when developer OX2’s pans were approved.
Following two construction permit extensions, in 2020 and again in 2022, the project was sold to European Energy.
Miss Fernando said the company decided to take the project over from OX2 as it was in a good location, there was not a lot of community pushback when the first approval was done and the shire council was in support.
“There also isn’t many trees to be cut down, and the landowners weren’t really that keen on growing anything on (the land),” she said.
Miss Fernando said the owner of the land — a farmer — had been “waiting to retire” and was “excited to come on board” the project.
She said about 80 to 100 jobs would need to be filled — and the developer would like to hire locally.
“Not just for construction, but operations maintenance as well — anyone that can really lend their hand towards a construction project — we would prefer (locals) over anyone else,” she said.
She said meeting with the community before construction began meant European energy could find out what was needed on the ground level, and offer up procurement to locals.
Stakeholder relations manager Kerrie Jocumsen said the project would be a major investment into the community in terms of offering jobs to locals and opportunities to local businesses.
Miss Jocumsen said two thirds of the land, while in use with solar panels, would be used for sheep grazing.
She also said the energy garnered from the solar panels would be enough to supply electricity to 20,000 houses.
European Energy met with community members on Tuesday, February 18.
However, Miss Fernando said the team was more than happy to answer community questions throughout the entire construction process.
European Energy Australia wants to hear from the community through a survey. Register interest in updates and opportunities at surveymonkey.com/r/MRGZC5L
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