A proposed solar parks will revolutionise power on the Sunshine Coast. Local business Energy Parks Australia has lodged a development application, which if approved will mean the Sunshine Coast can boast one of Australia’s largest solar parks.

The project outlines the transformation of a 50-hectare Valdora site into a state-of-the-art solar park sporting approximately 50,000 solar panels feeding power directly into the local grid for approximately 2500 Sunshine Coast homes.

EPA director Jason Hague believes the project will not only generate local employment opportunities and significant economic benefits for the Coast, but will elevate the region as a leader in the development of green power solutions.

“The Sunshine Coast has a real opportunity to become a leading hub for the production and use of clean-tech products and services,” says Jason, who is also a town planner. “If we want to change the way we operate and live up to the vision of being Australia’s most sustainable region, we need to embrace the technology and innovation available and do so on a scale that has real impact. There’s pressure on every level to deploy green-energy options that can cater for the ever-increasing energy needs of 21st century communities in Australia – politically, socially and environmentally. This solution can be rolled out on strategically located sites across the Coast and beyond to deliver solutions to high-demand locations.”

The solar panels will span across 20 hectares of the cane land site with the surrounding 30 hectares being rehabilitated as green space to minimise the impact on the local landscape.

The EPA model is based on identifying appropriate sites and building several centralised energy parks across the Sunshine Coast that provide large-scale photovoltaic (PV) deployments close to infrastructure and end-user demand.

“This solution goes a long way to meet council’s Energy Transition Plan endorsed in December 2010, which aspires for the Sunshine Coast to be a low-carbon economy,” says Jason. “The Valdora Energy Park will be a $40 million-plus venture and if successful in our application, we aim to develop local partnerships to deploy the technology on the site, thereby further delivering economic benefits for the region.”

EPA extensively researched the viability of the project and the range of benefits for the Coast, including ongoing discussions with the council.

“Energy Parks Australia has had several meetings with various departments within the council to discuss the project and to ensure its submission is of a high-quality, comprehensive in scope and addresses the wide range of issues required to be considered during the DA process,” says Michael Bismire, manager of Planning Assessment at the council.