About the project
The proposed Meadow Creek Solar Farm is located 27km southeast of Wangaratta and 28km east of Glenrowan. The 566-hectare site has been carefully chosen for its solar energy potential while ensuring continued agricultural use.
Features of the proposal
332MW of solar power – supplying enough clean energy to power around 11,000 homes.
250MW BESS – supporting reliability and affordability.
A substation, terminal station and 156-hectare transmission line easement – connecting the solar farm and BESS to the existing Dederang to Glenrowan transmission network.
Why this location?
The site was selected for its strong solar energy potential with excellent access to wind and solar resources.
Meadow Creek Solar Farm is not prime agricultural land – the North East Catchment Management Authority categorises the region the site falls within to be ‘low agricultural capability’.
The site does not have high-quality soils or rainfall to support high-value agricultural uses, and the project has been assessed by an independent Agricultural expert as having no detrimental impacts on agriculture.
Locating the solar farm near existing transmission infrastructure limits the amount of new transmission infrastructure that would need to be built.
The project has been assessed and designed in line with Government guidelines that exist to protect high-value agricultural land from this type of development.
What is a Battery Energy Storage System?
The proposed Meadow Creek Solar Farm will include a 250MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The BESS stores excess energy generated by the solar farm when demand is low and releases it during high-demand periods. This helps stabilise the electricity grid and manage the variability of renewable energy, ensuring a reliable supply across the network.
Locating the solar farm near existing transmission infrastructure limits the amount of new transmission infrastructure that would need to be built.
