Solar Projects: The Prospecting Race & ARENA Funding

UPDATE: The Solar Race

The “solar prospecting race” is continuing to heat up with in Central Queensland. Farmers and landowners are being approached by solar and renewable energy companies interested in building large-scale solar farms on their land.

Solar Projects – On-farm Income

Solar projects and farms are an opportunity for farmers and landowners to earn a different form of “on-farm” income. In addition to directly benefiting the farmers and landowners, solar projects and farms can have a wider impact on rural communities in Queensland. These projects offer a relatively reliable energy source and create job opportunities during the construction of the solar farm.

Australian Renewable Energy Agency

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has recently announced that 10 large-scale solar projects in Queensland have been selected to proceed from the proposal stage to the full application stage. The projects selected are able to bid to secure Federal Government funding. A full list of these solar projects can be found on the ARENA website.

The Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt has said “the shortlisted proposals were chosen from a very strong field, demonstrating Australia is ready to invest in utility-scale renewable energy options suited to the 21st century”.

If Federal Government funding is received by solar and renewable energy companies, we are set to see large-scale solar projects located in Dalby, Proserpine, Oakey, Hughenden, Longreach, Baralaba and Ipswich.

If you have been approached by a solar or renewable energy company or have questions about the potential opportunities, including the use of your property for clean energy or renewable projects, our Rural, Mining and Gas Agribusiness Team can help.

Please contact either Melanie Findlay or Emma Kime of Rees R & Sydney Jones for further information. 

You may also be interested in reading other articles written by Melanie Findlay such as Solar Farm Opportunities for Landowners.

Tips on Measuring Bore Levels

Emma Kime from our Agribusiness Rural Law Team found this instructional video online for Landowners. Here are some tips in regard to measuring the standing water level in your bores. 

The more information you have in regard to the status of your bore before any mining or gas activities the better. Especially if there is an argument later on about any Make Good requirements.

The Rees R & Sydney Jones Agribusiness Rural Law Team, is lead by Partner Melanie Findlay and can be contacted on 07 4927 6333 or via email at enquire@reesjones.com.au 

What's all this Paris stuff?

Last year COP21 occurred in Paris. The 196 Parties agree to the terms of an Agreement which is to be signed in New York in April this year. If it gets signed the parties to the Agreement will be required to action their goals that were set at the Paris conference. Australia promised to reduce GHG emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030. We promised to do this using the Emissions Reduction Fund which purchases emission reduction credits and we also promised to increase our Renewable Energy Target to 23% by 2020. 

What this will mean for our agricultural clients is that there are new investments in reforestation projects and forestry offsets. Carbon projects could become tradable internationally and so projects through the Emissions Reduction Fund will become popular. Landowners can benefit from approved method projects like Beef Herd Management, sequestering carbon in soils in grazing, feeding nitrates to cattle, avoiding clearing of native regrowth and Savanna fire management projects just to name a few. Perform these in accordance with the rules and credits or money could be earnt.

The signals are that reliance on fossils fuels will reduce (these can still be offset using sinks, CCS etc) and there will be an accelerated growth in clean energy and renewables. ARENA for example funded over $22M towards the Barcaldine Community Solar Farm. Some projects like this could be located on private land and agreements reached with private companies who wish to construct these renewable projects.

Grazing may still be grazing, but what if you just grazed a little differently and were paid to reduce your GHG omissions or the GHG omissions of some other polluter in another country?”

Uncertainty over Rockhampton’s Beef Loop Road

In 2011 planning and studies were done in regard to the Fitzroy River Floodplain and Road Planning Strategy (the Rockhampton Ring Road or Rockhampton By-Pass). The idea was to push trucks away from the centre of town via a bridge over the Fitzroy at Pink Lilly and around town rather than traffic going through town. Stage 4 of the plan included the third bridge.  No funding announcements or any construction date has been provided. 

There is now a renewed push for a connection to allow larger trucks to connect the new bridge to Lakes Creek Road so as to provide a better route for beef trucks to access the meatworks.

Although the projects would have great benefits for the cattle industry, landowners in the vicinity of the proposed routes are left in limbo waiting for movement. It is difficult for people in this position to decide whether or not to sell their properties, to improve them or to attend meetings with government departments. Compensation discussions can be intimidating and emotional. There are very few things as daunting on a person as the possibility of losing their home or property. The plans do include the resumptions or the taking of land and houses and some other properties for ramps for example. 

You are entitled to receive your reasonable legal fees reimbursed to you if your land is resumed or your land is taken by a government department. You are also entitled under the law to receive an advanced payment once you have lodged a claim to assist you to move and carry on with your life. If you are approached by any government department or council about the taking of your land for any purpose it is important to seek legal advice at an early stage so that you can make informed decisions about moving on or achieving the best result possible. 

Melanie Findlay is a Partner in the Rural, Mining & Gas Division of local law firm Rees R & Sydney Jones.

Jade Hayman, Consultant Andrew Palmer, Amy Gudmann 

and Rural Partners Justin Houlihan & Melanie Findlay

Landowners Solar Farm Opportunities - Could this be a viable on-farm income for you?

Off Farm income streams are always being looked at by Graziers and Farmers, but what about if your rural property could provide you with a different form of “on-farm” income.

Central Queensland is becoming a hot spot for large scale solar installations or Solar Farms. Under the Solar 60 Program, the Qld Government is calling for tenders and will provide financial assistance to solar and renewable energy companies to develop 60MW large-scale solar farms. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) have also committed more than A$100 million to drive the development of large-scale solar projects in Australia.

With funding for large-scale solar projects available, Landowners are being approached by solar and renewable energy companies for the rights to investigate and build solar farms on their land. Origin Energy has even indicated that there is a “Prospecting Race” for solar projects in Queensland. 

If you have any queries about opportunities in Solar or using your property for clean energy or renewable projects, please contact Melanie Findlay and Emma Kime of the Rees R & Sydney Jones Rural, Mining and Gas Agribusiness team on 4927 6333.

Strategic Offset Investment Corridors - Southern Brigalow Belt and New England Tableland

Landowners in the Southern Brigalow Belt Strategic Offset Investment Corridors will be interested in the release of the Southern Brigalow Belt and New England Tableland Strategic Offset Investment Corridors Methodology Report.

Strategic Offset Investment Corridors (SOICs) identify some of the best places in the landscape for environmental offsets. SOICs make offsets easier and cheaper to find, provide income opportunities for landholders willing to provide offsets on their land, and provide strategic conservation benefits for important environmental values.

Melanie Oliver explains the benefits to Landowners of a voluntary offset agreement here.

Landowners Solar Farm Opportunities

Off Farm income streams are always being looked at by Graziers and Farmers, but what about if your rural property could provide you with a different form of “on-farm” income.

Central Queensland is becoming a hot spot for large scale solar installations or Solar Farms. Under the Solar 60 Program, the Queensland Government is calling for tenders and will provide financial assistance to solar and renewable energy companies to develop 60MW large-scale solar farms. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) have also committed more than A$100 million to drive the development of large-scale solar projects in Australia.

With funding for large-scale solar projects available, Landowners are being approached by solar and renewable energy companies for the rights to investigate and build solar farms on their land. Origin Energy has even indicated that there is a “Prospecting Race” for solar projects in Queensland. 

If you have any queries about opportunities in Solar or using your property for clean energy or renewable projects, please contact Rural, Mining and Gas Partner, Melanie Findlay of local firm Rees R & Sydney Jones on 07 4927 6333.