GBM Gold has announced plans to develop a 60MW Solar Project on the Woodvale Evaporation Pond Complex site.
The Woodvale Complex comprises a facility of multiple evaporation ponds where groundwater was historically pumped as part of gold mining activities and associated dewatering processes.
The project will repurpose the ponds as a solar power plant of 60MW capacity.
The project has been pitched a an ideal re-use of a redundant facility, as the ponds enjoy excellent sun exposure, are not readily visible to adjacent residences and are located close to where the power is needed.
The City of Greater Bendigo has a goal of 100 per cent renewable energy generation from local and regional sources. The Woodvale Solar Project is a significant step forward and has the potential to assist Council in achieving that goal.
The solar power plant is planned to be connected to the sub-transmission network in Bendigo via a 66kV power line and will tie into a new sub-station situated on rehabilitated Ponds 4 and 5 at Woodvale.
Powercor advised that the Woodvale Solar Power Plant could be connected to the existing BETS-EHK 66kV line based on the applicant entering a Connection Agreement with Powercor. This is a promising outcome as grid connection is often one of the most costly and difficult aspects of power projects.
The project is expected to have a significant long-term benefit for the Bendigo community with an improvement in energy security and an estimated 100 jobs created during construction.
