Koala habitat shrinks green-lit 350MW solar-plus-storage site in Queensland

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The Sixteen Mile solar-plus-storage project will be located near X-Elio’s exiting 200MW Blue Grass solar PV project. Image: X-Elio.

The Australian government has granted Spanish solar PV developer X-Elio the green light to develop its 350MW Sixteen Mile solar-plus-storage project in Queensland, but must adhere to conditions to protect endangered local wildlife.

X-Elio’s proposed power plant will be located 22km southeast of Chinchilla, northwest of the state capital Brisbane, in the locality of Hopeland.

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

The project, which also features a 120MW/240MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) and will connect to the existing Western Downs Substation, will install around 579,000 solar PV modules.

The solar-plus-storage site will have an operational lifespan of 35 years and take 18-24 months to complete construction. The project area has been set at around 586 hectares.

X-Elio launched an Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act application in May 2024, which has now been granted providing the project follows key conditions which require it to be slightly smaller than previously planned.

The site must avoid regions that house habitats for endangered and vulnerable species, including Koalas, Grey Snakes, and Squatter Pigeons. Although no Grey Snakes or Koalas were recorded in the project’s field surveys conducted last year, the government has called on the developer to avoid the southern section of the project area (below).

Image: Australian government.

The southern section of the project site features eucalypt open woodland, as well as an isolated patch of eucalypt woodland in the proposed solar PV power plant area. Both could house Koalas or be used as a foraging area for the vulnerable animal. Under the conditions laid out by the government, this area must be avoided.

Tanya Plibersek, Queensland’s minister for the environment and water, hailed the project, securing consent from the federal government, and used it to attack plans by Peter Dutton, leader of Australia’s Liberal Party, to introduce nuclear energy into the country’s energy mix.

“Labor is getting on with the job of transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower while Peter Dutton and David Littleproud’s so-called nuclear plan is threatening investment in renewables,” Plibersek said.

“Australians have a choice between a renewable energy transition that’s already underway and driving down prices, or paying for an expensive nuclear fantasy that may never happen.”

It is worth noting that the Sixteen Mile solar PV project will be located near the company’s 200MW Blue Grass Solar Farm, which was commissioned in late 2022.

Read Next

September 5, 2025
Scientists from Germany and Saudi Arabia have discovered that perovskite thin-film cells are compatible with current industry standard silicon solar cells, which they claim is a “crucial step toward the industrialisation of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells”.
September 5, 2025
During a week of major US clean energy developments, ContourGlobal, PSE, Arevon, and Ameren Missouri advanced solar projects across four states in the US.
September 5, 2025
Newly formed firm Solaris Assets has acquired the business operations and assets of Texas-based residential solar installer Sunnova.
September 5, 2025
Research firm Rystad Energy has found that Queensland’s utility-scale solar PV power plants have dominated the best-performing assets, in terms of AC capacity factor, rankings for August 2025.
September 4, 2025
India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, the joint forum of the Centre and States, has reduced the GST rate on renewable energy components from 12% to 5%. 
September 4, 2025
The Czech national cybersecurity agency has warned that Chinese solar inverters represent a threat to the country’s data security.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines