• Renewable energy refers to the generation of clean energy through renewable sources. Renewable sources are natural resources that are abundant and are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed, even if their availability is pursuant on the time of day or weather. These include solar, wind and hydro power.
• Variable renewable energy (VRE) refers to renewable energy where generation is dependent on changeable and intermittent inputs, particularly wind and solar. In contrast, hydro-electricity is a form of renewable generation generally created by stored water resources, that is able to generate on-demand, and more flexibly.
• Fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, are non-renewable resources that take millions of years to form and to be replenished. When burnt, these fossil fuels produce harmful greenhouse gas emissions along with other pollutants that contribute heavily to global warming.

• In order to mitigate the worsening impacts of climate change and meet targets on emissions reductions, significant changes to the energy sector are needed.
• In addition demand for electricity is growing, and Australia’s fleet of coal-fired power stations are reaching end of life. The Australian Energy Market Operator’s analysis shows that the lowest cost replacement option includes new variable renewable wind and solar gemeration, supported by hydro-electricity and storage.
• Projects like the Northern Midlands Solar Farm form a key part of meeting future energy needs and creating a more sustainable, resilient, and liveable future.

• Northern Midlands Solar Farm will have an estimated generation connection capacity of around 288MW, making it the largest solar farm in the state and the fourth largest generator.
• The solar farm will produce enough clean electricity annually to power roughly 70,000 Tasmanian homes, saving approximately 104,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

• The farm will be connected through transmission lines to the Palmerston Substation, approximately 15km away.
• A replacement overhead transmission line is proposed be constructed to link the Northern Midlands Solar Farm to the substation, reducing impacts on landowners along the route.
• Planning approval has been received for this transmission line.

The Northern Midlands region has a strong history of renewable generation through hydroelectricity. The Northern Midlands Solar Farm will be the next generation of Tasmania’s renewable energy development. As the first of proposed large-scale renewable energy projects in the state, it will set up Tasmanian renewables jobs into the future, providing long-term social and economic benefits.

The project will contribute to the achievement of Tasmania’s ambitious 2040 Renewable Energy Target of 200% and support the National Energy Market transition. The project will support desperately needed new clean energy in Tasmania, that will in turn support broader economic growth. Local benefits of the Northern Midlands Solar Farm include:

• Creating more than 370 direct jobs during construction, as well as jobs in local services to support the construction workforce.
• Supporting 27 jobs each year once operational, including 11 direct jobs.
• Ongoing community engagement including engagement with First Nations communities.

The proponent is committed to a transparent community stakeholder engagement process. This included ensuring proactive and early engagement through the project approvals process, providing ample opportunity for people to get involved, and a mission to create a positive long last legacy in the region.

The engagement approach has been guided by the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter for Renewable Energy Projects (2018), RECFIT’s Draft Guideline for Community Engagement (2022), and the International Association for Public Participation’s (IAP2) Public Participation Spectrum (2018).

A community engagement action plan has been developed to cover the entire project lifecycle in order to provide information sharing channels and opportunities for a wide variety of stakeholders to participate in the engagement process.

Monitoring and evaluation of the engagement process and outcomes will be undertaken to help identify successes, areas for improvement and modification and to learn from experiences.

Large scale renewable energy projects, like the one proposed for the Northern Midlands create long-term employment opportunities, particularly for rural communities.

The key economic impacts anticipated to stem from this project include:

• 370 direct jobs in the construction phase
• 11 ongoing jobs each year over the 30 year operations phase (including engineering, maintenance and agrisolar roles)
• Opportunities for training and development within the renewable energy industry
• Delivery of affordable and secure electricity, with a capacity equivalent to powering approximately 70,000 Tasmanian homes
• Supporting Tasmania’s 2040 Renewable Energy Target of 200%

Tasmania has a unique opportunity to lead the global transition to renewable energy with an abundance of sustainable, clean energy sources.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) identified the Central Highlands region of Tasmania (including the Northern Midlands) as a Renewable Energy Zone, with such zones proposed to guide development of the renewable energy sector in areas with high wind, solar and hydroelectricity potential.

The Northern Midlands Solar Farm has emerged as an ideal solar farm project site for the following reasons:

• Good topographical conditions which avoid the need for significant clearing.
• Large landholding in single ownership, within which the areas of lowest agricultural and environmental value have been selected for the proposed development.
• Existing sheep grazing activities can continue and coexist with the operation of the solar farm.
• Located outside the urban settlement areas of Poatina, Cressy, Conara and Campbell Town.
• Close to the electricity grid with access to TasNetworks transmission corridors and proximity to the Palmerston Substation.
• Able to be delivered in a timely way, to support Tasmania’s clean energy needs.