Environmental Benefits-
AN 'ABOVE AND BEYOND' INITIATIVE
We are committed to supporting local, environmental initiatives that bring benefits to the areas surrounding our project sites.
On another Neoen project, the Goyder Renewables Zone, the project team gifted 1,000 hectares of the iconic Worlds End Gorge to the Government of South Australia, paving the way for a new national park in the state’s Mid North region.
Watch the video to learn more about this Neoen initiative.
Agrisolar
Neoen has been a pioneer in agrisolar and is committed to practicing it at the Culcairn Solar Farm once it is operational. This means that sheep will be able to graze peacefully at the farm, under our solar panels.
Agrisolar helps keep the grass down & the panels provide shade and protection to the sheep.
Learn more about agrisolar from one of our host landowners & farmers on another Neoen project in New South Wales.
About Agrisolar
Our first sheep grazing trial was conducted at Parkes Solar Farm in 2017 during a high rainfall and high produce year. It was a joint exercise between Neoen, local landowners and solar construction company Bouygues.
The 3 week trial involved 400 sheep within a 15 hectares zone to help reduce dry grass under the solar panels in order to manage grass fire hazard. It successfully showed that this combined land use had positive outcomes for farmers and solar operators.
2019 Expert Review
By 2019 sheep grazing had begun on all five of our operating solar farms in NSW and Victoria. These activities were assessed by an independent grazier expert to document existing practices and make recommendations on how to integrate grazing into each stage of the solar farm’s lifecycle.
2020 CEC Agrisolar Report
As pioneers of agrisolar Neoen led an industry-wide initiative to share emerging lessons on agrisolar which resulted in the development of Australia’s first Agrisolar Guide.
Our industry body, the Clean Energy Council brought together research, case studies and lessons from around the world to inform farmers, solar farm operators on ways to integrate agriculture with large-scale solar.
There are no issues with sheep-grazing co-existing with solar farms. It’s an opportunity and win-win for farmers and renewable energy producers.
Tom Warren, Land Owner
Dubbo Solar Hub in NSW
HELPING THE CLIMATE
