The Australian Government has approved a new solar farm project in North Queensland that will generate enough energy to power 123,000 homes.
The 300-megawatt (MW) Cambridge Solar Farm, located approximately 80 kilometres south of Townsville, is set to connect to existing transmission infrastructure.
The project, announced on September 18, 2024, is part of the Albanese Government’s plan to establish Australia as a renewable energy superpower. It comes in response to the closure of 24 coal-fired power plants under the previous Liberal-National government, which reportedly failed to implement policies ensuring replacement energy capacity.
Environmental benefits of the solar farm include an annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 670,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, comparable to removing over 228,000 cars from the road for a year.
The government emphasises that the project has been carefully designed and located to minimise environmental impacts while boosting renewable energy capacity and potentially lowering energy prices. Additionally, it is expected to create local jobs and stimulate the regional economy.
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