Australia approves plans for world’s largest solar park

Australian authorities have approved a project for a gigantic solar farm in the north of the country that would power three million homes.

According to Australia’s environment minister, the vast solar farm would include panels, batteries and, eventually, a cable connecting Australia to Singapore. The farm is expected to provide four gigawatts of energy per hour for Australians. Another two gigawatts will be sent to Singapore, covering 15% of the city-state’s needs.

The project is expected to extend over 12,000 hectares in the north of the country, create more than 14,000 jobs, with an investment cost of 21 billion euros. Energy production could begin as early as 2030. This project still has a few stages to go through before it sees the light of day, but it is in line with Australia’s aim to achieve zero gas emissions by 2050.

The steps are mainly administrative, both in Australia and in Singapore. It will also be necessary to obtain the green light from indigenous communities, such as the Aborigines, who will have their say. This project should really change the face of this country, which for the moment is one of the world’s main exporters of coal and gas. Fossil fuels represent nearly 70% of the energy consumed in Australia and coal accounts for 47% of Australian production.

To understand this radical change in Australian energy policy, we must recall the terrible fires that hit the country in 2019 and 2020, which led to a real awakening among Australians. The victory of Labor and the Australian left in 2022 also allowed for a complete review of the country’s strategy in this area.

Australia is therefore moving up a gear and finding itself in the leading group of countries investing in solar energy. Among the major solar energy projects and sites in the world is Midong in China, which plans to have a capacity of 3.5 gigawatts, knowing that one gigawatt can supply one million people with electricity.

Another Chinese site based in Inner Mongolia is planning eight gigawatts. India is also mobilizing on the subject with a 30 gigawatt solar wind project. Finally, the United Arab Emirates inaugurated in 2023, a plant that extends over 21 square kilometers and produces two gigawatts.