Cambridge JMD Australia has lodged a development application with Queensland’s Burdekin Shire Council to build a 300 MW solar farm in Upper Haughton.
The developer said the proposed AUD 650 million ($426.5 million) Cambridge Solar Farm is to be the first stage of the AUD 1.7 billion master-planned North Queensland Renewable Energy Park, with the next two stages to deliver an additional 765 MW of solar.
Cambridge said once fully developed, the project is expected to generate approximately 2.48 TWh of clean energy per year.
“The project aims to make a significant contribution to Australia’s National Electricity Market by adding clean and renewable energy to the grid,” the company said.
The multi-staged Cambridge Solar Farm is being developed across 1,600 hectares of former sugarcane land adjacent to developer Pacific Blue’s 130 MW Haughton Solar Farm, which Cambridge said “may present opportunities for synergies or collaborative initiatives in the renewable energy sector.”
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Cambridge JMD Australia Director Michael Dwyer said the Burdekin site was selected for its optimal solar capacity and convenient access to existing electricity transmission networks.
“We recognise Australia’s rising demand for energy and we are eager to assist with clean electricity from the Cambridge Solar Farm,” he said. “On a national scale, and upon full development … it will not only support Australia’s carbon emissions target but this solar project will also bring crucial investment, job opportunities, and economic advantages to the north Queensland communities.”
Cambridge JMD Australia is leading the project in collaboration with north Queensland landholder Davco Farming. Singapore-based developer Confluence Energy will be responsible for overseeing all development activities.
While no specific construction timeline has been provided, site works for the first stage of the project are expected to start in 2025, with commissioning anticipated in late 2026. The Cambridge Solar Farm project is expected to generate about 400 jobs.
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