Junja Solar Farm is a step closer to reality after news that the project’s development application was approved by the Port Hedland Council and the State Government Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP).
We are co-developing the 10 MW Junja Solar Farm with the Jinparinya Aboriginal Corporation (JAC). We are proud of our business model to deliver Aboriginal equity into renewable energy projects. Junja Solar Farm will be a ‘first of kind project’ in the Pilbara.
The project itself is a major step forward in demonstrating that there are endless opportunities for other Aboriginal communities right across the Pilbara too. There are a lot of opportunities for other Pilbara Aboriginal people to be a part of and benefit from renewable energy generation.
Approximately two years ago, Jinparinya Aboriginal Corporation, the leaseholders of the proposed development site, entered into an agreement with Pilbara Solar to undertake feasibility work for a proposed solar farm.
We commenced the development application process in mid-2020 following the feasibility work. The results of the study indicated that a solar farm in the proposed location could provide long-term income and contracting opportunities for the local community.
The project will be located to the north of the Jinparinya community, near train and power lines. Once completed the solar farm will have a generating capacity of around 10MW (Megawatts) and produce around 30-gigawatt hours of green power annually. This is enough to power around 3,000 homes per year.
“It has always been our goal to work in partnership with Pilbara Aboriginal people and to diversify ownership of the renewable energy industry. We believe that decarbonisation and equitable wealth distribution will create a better future for us all.
We are on the right track and closer to delivering the local and global benefits that we (Pilbara Solar) feel so strongly about. We still have a few more milestones to go, however, we are very pleased to have the development application approved. We can’t wait to get panels in the ground,” said Kylie Chalmers, Managing Director Pilbara Solar said.
While Junja Solar Farm is progressing well, Pilbara Solar is working on other projects in the Pilbara and is exploring new opportunities to deliver other renewable energy projects across the region.
