Call for moratorium on new solar factories

Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, is calling for a moratorium on the approval of new solar factories in NSW.

The independent MP says new developments should remain on hold until NSW Agriculture Commissioner Daryl Quinlivan has completed a review and provided his final report - currently expected later this year – and the government has finalised its new Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline.

The Agriculture Commissioner’s review was announced in March by Minister for Energy Matt Kean and Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders. At that time, Mr Kean said it would “look at how the renewable energy sector helps to diversify farming income streams and create regional jobs, and consider any opportunities to improve existing frameworks, such as the coexistence of solar and wind with farming”.

Mr Quinlivan last week released an issues paper, Agriculture and Renewable Energy in NSW, as part of the review process.

Dr McGirr has previously voiced his concerns about the increasing number of solar factories being developed on productive farmland in the Wagga Wagga region.

“I am a firm supporter of renewable energy, but productive farmland is finite and there are other parts of NSW that would be more suitable for large-scale solar factory developments,” he said.

“Concerns have been raised with me in relation to several developments proposed for Wagga Wagga. There is a hefty list of issues, including the visual amenity, the loss of productive farmland, the impacts on neighbouring properties, effects on property values, bushfire risk, long-term impact on the land, water run-off, the impacts of land clearing and dryland salinity.

“The Agriculture Commissioner is accepting submissions to his review until May 23. I am encouraging everyone who is concerned about the proliferation of solar factories on productive agricultural land to lodge a submission.”

Dr McGirr is worried that applications to build new solar factories are still being lodged and considered for approval at a time when a new Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline, drawn up by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. remains in a draft form.

If adopted, the draft guidelines could impact planning controls for solar and wind energy developments in regional areas.

“Given that the Agriculture Commissioner has begun a review and the new Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline is currently in draft form, it seems both fair and sensible to put a moratorium on new solar factory developments,” Dr McGirr said.

“We do not want to find ourselves in a situation where developers are trying to rush through proposals for solar factories that they know would likely be impacted under the new guideline.”

To make a submission to the Agriculture Commissioner’s review, or read the issues paper, visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/lup

Submissions close at 5pm on May 223, 2022, and can be sent to agcommissioner@dpi.nsw.gov.au