Solar projects reach milestones

Apr 7, 2025

CleanPeak chief executive Philip Graham, Noel Milgate, Gavin Milgate, Aunty Vicki and Murray River Council Mayor John Harvie officially opened the Moama solar farm with a ribbon cutting. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

One solar farm got under way and another was formally opened in a busy month for renewable energy in the region.

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Representatives of the Lancaster solar farm officially launched the project’s construction at the edge of its 172-hectare site on Tuesday, March 25, featuring a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony and a symbolic ground-breaking event.

While in Moama, the 12,000 panel, 15-gigawatt Moama solar farm was opened on April 3, after eight months of construction.

The 106MW Lancaster project, slated to complete construction by November and be operational by the second half of 2026, is expected to bring energy to more than 20,000 homes across Victoria.

The solar farm has been in development since 2018, first by company OX2 before being taken over by international renewables company European Energy.

European Energy chief executive Erik Anderson demonstrated his commitment by undertaking a 10-hour flight from Denmark and a two-hour drive to attend the launch of the company’s landmark project in the town.

“We have big ambitions in Australia, and Lancaster solar farm will help deliver energy security for Victoria,” Mr Anderson said.

European Energy Australian manager Catriona McLeod spoke at the ceremony in Lancaster. Photo by Jemma Jones

European Energy Australian manager of operations Catriona McLeod said there had been a lot of consultation with neighbours of the project.

“(The project) is something that you can quite comfortably be nearby without it having a negative impact that people might be afraid of,” she said.

“But there has been a lot of listening and just making sure that neighbours are aware of our plans, and our timing.”

The project will create 80 construction jobs and 12 permanent positions.

CleanPeak chief executive Philip Graham attended the opening of the new Moama site. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

The Moama project started in late August and is one of four solar farms being built by CleanPeak energy in NSW.

CleanPeak chief executive Philip Graham said the solar farm will benefit Moama.

“The solar farm itself has more than 12,000 panels, so it’s not a massive solar farm,” he said.

“We build smaller, distributed solar farms like this and try and put them in a place that makes sense, and then we connect them to the distribution system so it’s powering Moama rather than taking it all the way somewhere else.

“We’ve got power now, so we’re pumping out power now, as we speak, so it’d be great to power a new community building or something like that from the solar farm.”

The solar farm is expected to generate 15 gigawatts of green energy annually, the equivalent to powering 3000 Australian homes or taking 2000 fuel-burning cars off the road.

Mr Graham said he hopes this project is only the beginning of a long partnership between the company and Moama.

“We’re going to be here for 40 years. We’ll be here for a long time, and it’ll be great to have a relationship with the council going forward,” he said.