EPA’s 10MW Queensland solar plant given go-ahead by council

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Australia’s Sunshine Coast Regional Council has granted planning permission to Energy Parks Australia (EPA) for its new solar plant in Valdora, Queensland. With a capacity of 10MW, the development dwarfs Australia’s current largest system – Liddell’s 3MW concentrating solar power (CSP) facility – and will cost AU$40 million (US$43 million) to build.

EPA is currently on the lookout for domestic and international investors to fund the transformation of 50 hectares of disused former sugar cane farmland into one of the Australasia’s most significant solar developments. Building work will begin before the end of the year.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“We are hoping the development will be a catalyst to drive local capacity, awareness and investment,” said EPA’s director Jason Hague.

EPA is yet to agree a power purchase agreement for the electricity generated by the Valdora system, although six potential corporate buyers have been identified, including the Sunshine Coast University and the local council. “None of them use renewable energy at the moment and they are likely to see the benefit of localised power production,” Hague added.

Read Next

October 13, 2025
France’s Engie and the UAE’s Masdar have been chosen to jointly develop a 1.5GW PV power plant near Abu Dhabi.
Premium
October 13, 2025
Brett Beattie of Castillo Engineering looks at some of the key land grading work that can make multimillion-dollar differences to projects.
October 13, 2025
Korean chemical production firm OCI Holdings has acquired a 65% stake in a Vietnamese solar wafer production plant, intending to export solar wafers to the US.
October 13, 2025
The world is on pace to exceed 3TW of cumulative solar installations by the end of the year, according to a report from DNV.
October 13, 2025
The Trump administration has cancelled the 6.2GW Esmeralda 7 solar project in Nevada – once touted as one of the largest in the world.
October 13, 2025
Two Chinese state-owned energy enterprises have signed cooperation agreements on PV and wind power projects with Saudi companies, with the total contract value exceeding RMB30 billion (US$4.2 billion). 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK