Royalla Solar Farm located just south of Canberra officially opened last week. It is now Australia’s largest solar farm and also the first large-scale solar project to be connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM).

The 20MW solar farm is owned by Spanish company Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV). It’s 83 000 solar panels are expected to produce enough energy to power 4500 ACT homes or produce 37 000MWhrs of clean energy each year.

ACT Environment Minister Simon Corbell, Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, Australian Solar Council CEO John Grimes and Clean Energy Council Acting Chief Executive Kane Thornton came together to officially open the solar farm.

“This project has helped to demonstrate the exciting opportunity and massive benefits that large scale solar can deliver in Australia,” said Mr. Thornton. “The Royalla Solar Farm is a showcase for what is possible using today’s technology, and has utilised many local businesses, suppliers and contractors to deliver a real boost to the local economy.”

Minister Corbell said that the project was a big step towards the ACT’s target of 90% renewable energy use before 2020. “Over its lifetime the farm will save over half a million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

The ACT Government has said that maximum cost of their 90% target to the people will be $4 per household per week up to 2020 and declining their after.

“It really does demonstrate that a large scale, reverse auction feed in tariff process can deliver large scale solar at an affordable price and in a very timely manner,” said Mr Corbell. “For Australia, it highlights what can be achieved with certainty, and with clear policy leadership, and it highlights that companies are willing to invest when they have that certainty of a supportive policy environment.”