Waste centre to get 5MW solar farm in Newcastle, Australia

September 4, 2017
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Artist's impression of the Summerhill solar farm. Credit: Newcastle City Council

A 5MW solar farm has been planned for the Summerhill Waste Management Centre in Newcastle City, New South Wales, Australia.

The capped landfill site was once part of the Wallsend Borehole Colliery and the aim of the farm is to help reduce the city’s AU$4 million (US$3.18 million) electricity costs after the annual bill doubled over the last two years. The project will also contribute to the city’s 30% renewable energy target for 2020.

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 site will require around 16,000 solar panels and electricity generated will feed a nearby Ausgrid substation. The waste management centre already has a 2.2MW landfill gas generator and a small wind turbine and there are future opportunities in battery storage and electric garbage trucks.

A tender will soon be issued to eight shortlisted respondents for the design, construction and operation of the solar farm after a feasibility study and expression of interest process last year. Following the tender, the project will be reported to council for approval and funding.

“With energy costs soaring and the cost of solar photovoltaic technology falling, the business case is now clear for councils to increase renewable energy use and take control of their energy costs,” said Newcastle City Council interim CEO Jeremy Bath. “We are seeing a boom in construction of solar farms across Australia and local councils will be one of the key beneficiaries from the experience the solar sector has developed.”

Read Next

Sponsored
October 23, 2025
Tongwei's rooftop-focused TNC 2.0 G12R-48 module will be among the products on show at All Energy Australia next week.
October 23, 2025
Spanish power electronics specialist Ingeteam has won a contract to supply inverters and control systems for European Energy Australia's 100MW Winton North solar-plus-storage project in northeast Victoria.
October 23, 2025
Queensland's rooftop solar systems have exceeded 5GW of output for the first time, marking a milestone in Australia's solar expansion.
October 22, 2025
The Queensland government has launched the Social Licence in Renewable Energy Toolkit, providing local councils in Australia with resources to navigate renewable energy project engagement and community consultation processes.
October 21, 2025
Australia's solar-plus-storage sector gained momentum with 725MW of solar PV approvals advancing across New South Wales and Queensland.
October 21, 2025
Luminous Robotics has successfully completed its first international deployment of AI-powered solar installation robots at Engie’s 250MW Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria, Australia.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Lisbon, Portugal