The largest solar farm in Victoria, Neoen’s 128MW Numurkah Solar Farm, is now fully operational and is powering Melbourne’s tram network.
The Numurkah Solar Farm is one of two solar farms supplying 100 per cent renewable energy to offset Melbourne’s entire tram network.
The facility will generate approximately 255,000MWh of clean, renewable electricity into the national power grid each year, and received funding under the Victorian Government’s Solar Trams Initiative.
The Renewable Certificate Purchasing Initiative and Solar Trams Initiative have brought forward construction of around 350MW of new solar and wind capacity – leveraging around $720 million in capital expenditure and creating 755 construction jobs and 33 ongoing jobs, all in regional Victoria.
With the initial support secured from the Government, Neoen has secured a 15-year deal with SIMEC ZEN to help power the Laverton Steelworks, taking the initial project size from 34MW to 128MW DC/100MW AC.
The emissions reduction delivered by this solar farm will be the equivalent of taking 75,000 cars off the road or planting 390,000 trees.
The Labor Government is increasing Victoria’s Renewable Energy Target to 50 per cent by 2030 – putting more clean energy into the grid, increasing investment and driving down energy prices.
It is expected that achieving the VRET 2025 target of 40 per cent alone will drive around $7.2 billion of investment and create more than 10,000 jobs, as the amount of energy generated by renewable sources increases.
Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “This is Victoria’s largest solar farm – we’re proud to have supported a project that has delivered hundreds of jobs in regional Victoria.
“The Numurkah Solar Farm will play an important role in supporting the transformation of our energy system towards clean, renewable energy and reaching our renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030.”
Victorian Minister for Public Transport, Melissa Horne, said, “Victoria’s largest solar farm is now ready to power the world’s biggest tram network – helping reduce greenhouse emissions and boost jobs in regional Victoria.”
Neoen Australia Managing Director, Louis de Sambucy, said, “The Numurkah Solar Farm is a significant milestone for Neoen, one that could not have been achieved without the support of the Victorian Government.
“As the biggest solar farm in Victoria, it will deliver enormous benefit as it powers transport, industry and more.”
