On Sunday 27 October 15 clean energy projects from five states will be throwing open their gates to the public for a range of fun and informative open day events.
Australia is transitioning towards a renewable energy future and the possibility of a new golden age for energy. So far in 2019 construction in the industry represents approximately $27 billion in investment and brought over 16,656 jobs to rural and regional communities throughout Australia.
Clean Energy Open day is a great opportunity to get up close to the future of Australia’s clean power generation.
Wind and solar farms will be opening their gates in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. Check out the list of projects hosting events below.
Date 27 October 2019
Time 8:00am - 4:00pm
To celebrate Open Day and for your chance to win one of five Visa gift cards post a photo of you and a solar or wind farm to social media a tag #cleanenergyopenday. Check out the full competition details at the bottom of this page.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Broken Hill Solar Plant
Open Day location: Broken Hill Solar Plant, Barrier Highway, Broken Hill NSW 2880
Time: 9.00 am – 3.00pm
What’s happening on the day: AGL, as part of its Powering Australia Renewables Fund, is hosting a community open day at the 53 MW Broken Hill Solar Plant.
The community open day will be kick off at 9.00am and include activities for kids and a live broadcast from local radio station 2Dry FM. AGL staff members will be on hand to talk about how the solar plant works and answer any technical questions. The day provides the perfect opportunity for people to learn more about renewable energy in their local community.
To find out more about Broken Hill Solar Plant visit their website.
Neoen’s Dubbo Solar Hub
Open Day location: Dubbo Solar Hub, 20L Sheraton Road, Dubbo, NSW 2830
Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm
What’s happening on the day: The community open day will include activities for kids, a sausage sizzle and free coffee from the gorgeous Jespresso coffee cart.
The project team will be on hand in the information tent to talk about how the solar farm works and answer all your questions. Tours of the site will also be available. The day provides a fantastic opportunity to learn more about renewable energy and to see firsthand how sheep grazing can be combined with solar.
About the project: Dubbo Solar Hub, which consists of two solar farms has been in operation since June 2018. Jointly they generate around 61,000 MWh of renewable energy each year, enough to power around 9,000 homes.
The South Keswick Solar Farm is located on the outskirts of Dubbo and produces 2/3 of the Dubbo Hub’s electricity production. The site has 56,160 solar panels and connects to the Essential Energy network. The solar farm also successfully combines electricity generation with agriculture. There are currently over 150 merino sheep grazing among the panels.
For more information about Neoen’s Dubbo Solar Hub visit their website.
Gullen Range Wind and Solar Farm
Open Day location: Tour pick up from Crookwell Motel, 101 Goulburn Ln, Crookwell NSW 2583
Time: Tour departs at 11am
What’s happening on the day: Gullen Range Wind and Solar Farm is hosting a special public tour to celebrate the 2019 Clean Energy Council Open Day! The tour is now booked out, to join the waitlist for a spot, please visit their website.
Please note that advance bookings on the tour bus are essential. The public cannot self-drive to Gullen Range Wind and Solar Farm for safety reasons.
Woodlawn Wind Farm
Open Day location: Woodlawn Wind Farm, Tarago NSW 2580
Time: 8.00am – 1.30pm
What’s happening on the day: Run with the Wind 2019
Run with the Wind is a community fun run located among the wind turbines at the Woodlawn Wind Farm near Tarago, New South Wales. There are a 5km and a 10km course. The fun run is in its 8th year this year. Runners, walkers and pram-pushers are all welcome! The views are breathtaking and it is a fantastic day out in the country for all.
For more information and to register for the fun run visit their website.
QUEENSLAND
Childers Solar Farm
The Open Day event at Childers Solar Farm has been cancelled due to bush fires close to the site. Elliott Green Power hopes to hold another open day event in the future.
Daydream and Hayman Solar Farms
What’s happening on the day: Details about the activities planned for Open Day coming soon.
About the projects: The Daydream Solar Farm is a 180.0 MW DC single-axis tracking project located a few kilometres north of Collinsville in North Queensland. The Daydream Solar Farm commenced commercial operations in August 2018 and produces 398,000 MWh per annum, capable of delivering renewable energy to 55,000 homes. The Hayman Solar Farm is a 60.0 MW DC single-axis tracking project located a few kilometres north of Collinsville in North Queensland. The Hayman Solar Farm commenced commercial operations in August 2018 and produces 134,000 MWh per annum, capable of delivering renewable energy to 18,000 homes.
To find out more about the Daydream and Hayman Solar Farms visit their website.
Hamilton and Whitsunday Solar Farms
What’s happening on the day: Details about the activities planned for Open Day coming soon.
About the projects: The Hamilton Solar Farm is a 69.0 MW DC single-axis tracking project located a few kilometres north of Collinsville in North Queensland. The project is located in close proximity to the Whitsunday Solar Farm. The Whitsunday Solar Farm is a 69.0 MW DC single-axis tracking project located a few kilometres north of Collinsville in North Queensland. The project is supported by both ARENA and the Queensland Government. Both projects are 94.9% owned by Wirsol and 5.1% by Edify Energy. The solar farms commenced commercial operations in March 2018 and each produces 144,000 MWh per annum, capable of delivering renewable energy to 31,000 homes.
To find out more about the Hamilton and Whitsunday Solar Farms visit their website.
Oakey Solar Farm
Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm
What’s happening on the day: Visitors can take a bus tour, departing from the Oakey railway station at 10am. Reserve your spot via the event website here.
More details about the activities planned for Open Day coming soon.
About the project: Oakey Solar Farm is an 80 MW solar photovoltaic project that consists of two stages. Stage 1 has 25MW of capacity and Stage 2 is 55MW. The project is located 6.5km to the west of the township of Oakey.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Willogoleche Wind Farm
Time: 11am – 2.30pm
Open Day location: West Terrace, Hallett, SA 5419
What’s happening on the day: In addition to bus tours of the state-of-the-art Willogoleche Wind Farm, ENGIE, the Hallett Hub Committee, and the Regional Council of Goyder are hosting a community open day at the nearby Hallett Community Hub. Complimentary BBQ, refreshments, and ice creams will be available throughout the day. There’ll be activities for kids, while everyone is welcome to try their hand at tennis or lawn bowls at the Hallett Hub’s new facilities.
Bus tours will last about an hour, registrations are essential. Visit the event website to book your place.
About the Project: One of the largest renewable energy projects completed in South Australia, Willogoleche Wind Farm has a generating capacity of 119 MW, capable of delivering renewable energy to 80,000 homes.
The project is made up of 32 turbines and currently the fourth largest wind farm in South Australia, Willogoleche is the first onshore wind farm in the world to install and commission GE’s 3.8 MW turbines at scale, and its 65m rotor blades can operate through a range of wind speeds, allowing ENGIE to maximise the capacity of each turbine.
For more information about Willogoleche Wind Farm visit their website.
TASMANIA
Studland Bay Wind Farm
Open Day location: Studland Bay Wind Farm, 1277 Woolnorth Road Woolnorth, TAS 7330
What’s happening on the day: Details about the activities planned for Open Day coming soon.
About the project: Studland Bay Wind Farm was commissioned in 2007 and uses it’s 25 turbines to produce 75 MW of energy for the Tasmanian electricity network.
For more information about Studland Bay Wind Farm visit their website.
VICTORIA
Moorabool Wind Farm
Open Day location: Moorabool Wind Farm Information Centre, 120 Inglis Street, Ballan, Vic 3342
Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm
What’s happening on the day: Join the team at Moorabool Wind Farm Information Centre at 120 Inglis Street, Ballan for a fun-filled Open Day. Book a minibus tour of the northern section of the wind farm to get up close and personal with a wind turbine and chat to one of the on-site technicians. Tours depart every 30 mins. Please book before the day via Eventbrite. Refreshments, entertainment, information and members of the team to chat with will also be available at 120 Inglis Street, Ballan throughout the day.
For more information about Moorabool Wind Farms Open Day and to reserve your place on the free tour please visit their website.
Stockyard Hill Wind Farm
Open Day location: Skipton Football Club Rooms, 1A Smythe Street Skipton, Vic 3361
Time: 10.00am - 2.00pm
What’s happening on the day: Stockyard Hill Wind Farm will be operating tours of the Southern section of the Wind Farm as part of Clean Energy Open Day. Join the team at the Skipton Recreation Reserve for a fun-filled day. Tours will leave the clubrooms to tour part of the Wind Farm. You will be able to get up close and personal with a wind turbine and chat to the on-site technicians. Tours will depart every 15 minutes. Refreshments, entertainment, information and members of the wind farm’s team will be available to chat with at the Club Rooms throughout the day.
For more information about Stockyard Hill Wind Farms Open Day and to reserve your place on the free tour please visit their website, or check out the event flyer.
Swan Hill Solar Farm
Open Day location: Swan Hill Solar Farm, 11 Memorial Drive, Swan Hill, Vic 3585
Time: 1.00pm - 4.00pm
What’s happening on the day: The Swan Hill Solar Farm will be operating walking tours in around the solar panels giving the community an opportunity to get up close to the panels and chat to the owners and operators of the solar farm. The tours will run approximately every 30 minutes with giveaways and activities for the kids. Refreshments will also be available. All welcome.
For more details about Swan Hill Solar Farm's Open Day and to reserve your spot on a walking tour visit the event website.
About the project: Swan Hill Solar Farm is one of the seed assets in Impact Investment Groups Solar Asset Fund. It is a 19 MWdc solar PV facility located near the township of Swan Hill. It commenced commercial operations on the 20 July 2018 and produced around 35,000 MWh of clean energy in its first year of operation. The solar farm has approximately 53,000 solar panels mounted to a horizontal single-axis tracking system. The site connects into the local electricity distribution system via two connection points.
ACCIONA Waubra Wind Farm
Open Day location: Waubra Recreation Reserve, Sunraysia Highway, Waubra 3352
Time: 10.00am - 2.00pm
What’s happening on the day: Completed in July 2009, the Waubra Wind Farm is celebrating 10 years of generation at this year’s Open Day. The community has always been an integral part of this project, and 10 years on they are still the key to its success. ACCIONA invite the broader community to come and enjoy the rolling hills of Waubra. There will be bus tours in, around and underneath the turbines, children’s activities and food and drinks supplied by local community groups.
For more details about Waubra Wind Farms Open Day and to book a tour visit the event website.
About the project: The Waubra Wind Farm is located approximately 35 kilometres north-west of Ballarat in Victoria. The project comprises 128 ACCIONA Windpower turbines, with a total generating capacity of up to 192 MW. Find out more about the project on its website.
SOCIAL MEDIA PHOTO COMPETITION
To enter the photo competition post a picture of you and your family having a good time at a wind or solar farm to either, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and tag #cleanenergyopenday.
Each of the five winners will receive a $100 Visa gift card and a set of four renewable energy posters. To read the full terms and conditions of entry click here.
EVENT PARTNER
The Clean Energy Council
The Clean Energy Council (CEC) is the peak body for the clean energy industry in Australia.
They are a not-for-profit, membership-based organisation and represent and work with over 700 leading businesses operating in or supporting the development of renewable energy (such as solar, wind, hydro, bioenergy, geothermal and marine) and energy storage, along with more than 6000 solar installers.