PLANS to develop a 4.85MG solar farm in the Dromana industrial estate have received support from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

The Dromana Clean Energy Farm in Collins Road is the first regional solar farm on the peninsula and aligns with what the council sees as a practical response to its declared Climate Emergency stance.

Cr Simon Brooks said after the planning services meeting, Monday 18 November, that councillors had applauded the “effort that the applicant had gone to in bringing the proposal to this point”.

“The location is ideal for grid connection into the southern peninsula electricity grid,” he said. “Under the community grid partnership with United Energy, GreenSync and the shire, localised generation and storage is needed to counter the summer spikes in power usage.

“With a connection specifically built-in for a grid scale battery this facility will allow for hosting a battery probably sooner than later, reducing the need for diesel generators.”

Project developer Stephen Todd said the regenerative solar farm combined carbon farming with renewable energy production. “At this stage we are waiting for United Energy’s approval to connect the solar farm so we can start to supply locally made clean energy with a high social impact,” he said.

The project combines a solar farm, soil health renovation project, productive planting, pollinator-friendly habitat, controlled environment growing sheds, streaming educational data and Indigenous promotion.

Details: voltfarmer.com.au/dromana-climate-smart-farm/

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 10 December 2019