The Regional Council of Goyder has a significant energy resource which is in the process of being fully developed. Clean energy investments create jobs in regional Australia, where the best renewable energy resources are located.
Based on estimates, close to 5,000 new jobs will be created in South Australia’s electricity sector by 2,030 and the vast majority of these will be in renewable energy. Strong Government policies to cut pollution and make clean energy cheaper has the potential to drive significant renewable energy investments in South Australia over the coming decade.
Council is leading a team of innovative and creative experts with direct links to Council to collaborate and create a Centre for Renewable Excellence where both Heritage and Technology meet and engender economic growth and resilience within the region. This will encourage future renewable energy projects to the region, education and research, conservation and preservation of heritage assets and infrastructure, incorporating unique industries and a world heritage bid for the Australian Cornish Mining Sites: Burra.
Current Renewable Energy Projects in the region are as follows:
The Hallett Wind Farm is made up of four wind farms near the town of Hallett. They are owned and operated by AGL Energy. The wind farms are located at Brown Hill, Hallett Hill, North Brown Hill and Bluff Range, and were built over the period from 2008 to 2012. The wind farm comprises 167 Suzlon S88 Turbines which generate power of 351 MW. The total capital cost was estimated at $900 mill.
The Hallett Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will be constructed on the traditional country of the Ngadjuri People. We recognise their continued connection to land, waterways and community and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
EnergyAustralia is planning to develop the Hallett Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) alongside its Hallett gas-fired power station, in Canowie, 210kms north of Adelaide.
This grid-scale battery would have an initial storage capacity of 50MW and discharge capacity of up to 200MWh. It will be able to power up to 81,000 homes and small businesses for four hours. There are plans to triple its capacity to 150MW in a future second stage.
EnergyAustralia anticipate the battery will be ready and storing excess energy generated by renewables by the end of 2026.
The Willogoleche Wind Farm is in the vicinity of Hallett and it’s 32 wind turbines generate up to 119 MW of electricity. The closest to the town of Hallett is 3.2kms west of the town and the furthest is 8.3kms southwest of the town. The cost of construction was $250 mill. It was officially opened in July 2019. The electricity generated is sold by Engie’s retail outlet, Simply Energy.
The solar project is located near the Robertstown Power Substation which is 5kms north east of Robertstown. The project is proposed to be an integrated but separately operated photovoltaic energy generation system of 500MW generation capacity and a 250MW/1000MWh battery energy storage system that will feed into the Robertstown Substation. The capital cost is estimated at $1.1 billion. 275 workers are expected to be employed over the two year life of the project. Construction is expected to commence when the SA - NSW Interconnector transmission line between Robertstown and Wagga Wagga is completed in early 2025.
The project is located at Australia Plains which is approximately 16kms north east of Eudunda. Green Gold Energy plan to build a 200MW solar farm and 200MW Battery Energy Storage System. Construction is planned to commence at the end of 2026.
They are also planning a 108MW Solar Farm and 90MW BESS on the Goyder Highway near Morgan and construction is expected to commence at the beginning of 2026.
The solar project is located near Florieton (30kms east of Robertstown) between Burra and Morgan on a 5000ha property. Stage 1 of the project includes a 256MW photovoltaic array comprising 630000 solar panels and a 200MWh battery and Stage 2 provides another 200MW of generation and a 150MWh battery at a capital cost of $480 million. The project is estimated to require 250 workers over the construction period of 2 years and is now expected to commence in 2025.
The solar and wind project has 5 stages - Stage 1, 2 and 3 is located south of Burra and north of Robertstown near World’s End and Bright. The first stage of the project will feature 163 wind turbines, 3000ha of solar panels and a huge lithium iron battery generating power of up to 900MW. It is expected that the first 3 stages of the project will be in Goyder South and the next 2 stages in Goyder North. Together, these projects represent a capacity of up to 2000MW of wind generation, 1000MW solar generation and up to 1500MW of battery storage, making the Zone one of the largest proposed hybrid renewable developments in the world. The total project will have a capital cost of $3 billion and provide employment for up to 1,100 workers over a 5 to 6 year period. Construction commenced in March 2022 and will be ongoing for the next 10 years.
The project is located approximately 15kms east of the Robertstown Power Substation near Bundey. The Project Energy Connect transmission plan will link South Australia (Robertstown) to NSW (Wagga Wagga) with a 800MW transfer capacity. It will involve the construction of a 330KV above ground transmission line. Electranet are managing the project in South Australia at a cost of $457 million. The project section from Robertstown to the SA - NSW border commenced in May 2022 and was completed in December 2023. The section from the SA - NSW border to Wagga Wagga is expected to be completed by November 2024.
The project is located between Eudunda and Kapunda. The original project has been revised to construct 42 wind turbines with a gereation capacity of 270MW. Additional documentation is being provided for the Development Application and an updated project timeline will be provided at the end of 2024.
Wind Prospect is undertaking planning for the development of a wind farm of up to 85 turbines around the Whyte Yarcowie, Hallett and Terowie townships. The documentation and planning approvals are expected to be finalised in late 2024.
LOCAL ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS
The Regional Council of Goyder, the Elected Body and staff, the Burra Community Management Committee, the Eudunda Community, Business and Tourism Committee (ECBAT) and the Robertstown & District Community and Management Committee are ensuring that the maximum possible impact and interaction is gained from these projects in the local communities from Burra to Eudunda by connecting the contractors of each project to the local labour force, accommodation and food providers and other businesses. This is being done as a community service project with Mel Zerner, a former local Eudunda resident, voluntarily assisting Council and the other community groups in this initiative. Mel is in regular contact with the key owners or employees of all of the above projects to obtain status reports and then respond to their local requirements as needed.
If you have any questions on the status of the any of the above projects or local requirements or want to ensure that your accommodation, labour or local business services are included on the registers, please contact:
Mel on Mobile 0418 852 353
