The lease is for the GV Link land east of Toolamba Road and the railway line, being part of the land in Certificate of Title Volume 12022 Folio 891 (formerly part of Volume 11071 Folio 144), known as Toolamba Road, Mooroopna (Land) for the purposes of construction and use as a solar farm.
Council has previously been in receipt of numerous renewable energy enquiries and in particular for the development of large scale solar farms within the Greater Shepparton region. Council had also been in receipt of a number of investment enquiries in relation to the leasing of land at the GV Link site. Council Officers recognised an opportunity to make the GV Link land east of Toolamba Road available for a large scale solar farm.
Council conducted a request for expression of interest followed by a select tender process which resulted in the preferred tenderer being Goulburn Valley Community Energy Pty Ltd.
A lease for the proposed solar farm at the GV Link site east of Toolamba Road has now been negotiated and Council is proposing to lease the Land to GVCE Mooroopna Solar Pty Ltd, being a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ (SPV) which consists of Goulburn Valley Community Energy Pty Ltd (GVCE) and AKUO Energy Pty Ltd. The proposed lease is for a term of 25 years with an option to extend the lease for an additional 25 years.
Council has been informed by GVCE Mooroopna Solar Pty Ltd that the proposed solar farm will be able to generate up to 23MW per annum. The proposed project would cost around $40m.
Council Officers will now progress to the next stage of the process which consists of advertising Council’s intention to enter into a proposed lease with the SPV. The advertisement will take place on 4 January 2019 and will provide the public with 28 days to make public submissions.
It is a requirement of the Local Government Act 1989 that any lease for a period of 10 years or more be advertised under section 223 to allow for any public submissions.
The proposed lease is subject to a number of conditions relating to the planning and development of the solar farm, which include but are not limited to; obtaining approvals and finance and entering into Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) with relevant parties to purchase the electricity generated by the solar farm.
The proposed lease would not commence until the SPV has received all approvals and secured PPAs and obtained the required finance for the project with a financial institution. Rent will not be payable until the lease commences on the commencement date following compliance with these lease conditions.
Greater Shepparton Mayor Cr Kim O’Keeffe said that it was positive to see people pursuing renewable energy projects and outlined that renewable energy is a key focus not only across this region, but across the state.
The Mayor also stated that the subject land east of Toolamba Road had been set aside for water detention as part of the future GV Link project and Council Officers felt that the area north of the proposed water detention basin could be suitable for a solar farm.
