Daroobalgie solar farm

The project

Daroobalgie Solar Farm is a renewable energy development proposed by Pacific Blue. The project is located 11 km northeast of Forbes and 300 km northwest of Sydney in Forbes Shire Council, New South Wales.

In March 2022, Pacific Blue lodged the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with the Department of Planning and Environment. All submissions received on the project during the exhibition period were addressed in an Amendment Report and Response to Submissions Report, which were submitted to the Department in December 2022.  Final assessment of the Project is now underway and project determination is anticipated in Q2 2023.

The EIS provides the results of more than two years of environmental and social assessments and community consultation on the project. It outlines the potential impacts and the proposed management and mitigation measures.

Key aspects

Daroobalgie Solar Farm is expected to have a generating capacity of approximately 100 Megawatts, enough to power roughly 34,000 homes every year. Some of the key characteristics of the Daroobalgie site that make it suitable for a solar farm include:

• Strong location for efficient capture of energy from the sun, with initial modelling showing an average of 1,848 kilowatt-hours of sunlight per square metre each year.
• High potential for connection to nearby substations and transmission lines, making it possible to export electricity generated to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM).
• Flat terrain with minimal trees and vegetation. The property is currently used for livestock grazing and cropping.
• Excellent transport links, with options for both road and rail haulage.

Local benefits

Pacific Blue has a strong track record of delivering lasting social, environmental, and economic benefits to the local communities in which our projects are located. These include:

• A significant number of direct jobs during construction.
• Generating local economic activity during construction and operations.
• Opportunities for local businesses and suppliers.
• Support for community-led projects and initiatives.
• Up to 6 permanent jobs will be required to ensure the effective operation of the solar farm, with further contractor opportunities also anticipated.

Business opportunities

Local suppliers and contractors may also be engaged for the construction and delivery of the project wherever possible, and are encouraged to register their interest and capabilities with us here.

These jobs will help diversify local skills and economic output for the region, complementing the agricultural industry and contributing to the prosperity of the local economy.

Community engagement

A key part of Pacific Blue’s successful delivery of projects is the way we engage and involve our neighbours, communities, and stakeholders throughout all stages.

Throughout 2021 we conducted public information sessions, meeting with business and local interest groups, and working with Forbes Shire Council to ensure that local knowledge and perspectives are understood and considered during all stages of planning.

Community engagement activities will continue in 2022 as part of the EIS and approval processes.

Community benefit sharing

Pacific Blue is proud to support communities that host our clean energy projects through our industry-leading Community Benefit Sharing Program, which delivers a portion of revenue back into our local communities each year.

The program aims to empower local communities to identify the projects and initiatives that we should support. A range of methods are used to achieve this aim (such as community funds and sponsorship), tailored to the specific needs of each area.

Since its launch, the program has delivered over $4.9 million to over 1000 community-led projects across regional Australia.