Blind Creek project boosts NSW energy transition

our impact

Hybrid solar, agriculture project optimises land use

The Blind Creek Solar and Battery project was founded by farmers with a multi-generational connection to the site and to the local community, together with a team of renewable energy experts. The project vision is to co-locate regenerative agriculture with solar, engage in genuine community consultation and include the community in the project’s financial benefits.

The project is working to achieve solar energy production that co-exists with organic grass-fed lambs, regenerative agriculture, a soil carbon sequestration project, restoration of biodiversity and green waste humus production.

Once built, the solar farm will produce enough energy to power approximately 124,000 houses.

From the outset our goal was to co-locate renewable energy with regenerative agriculture and carbon sequestration while maintaining sheep production. We also had a clear vision of how we wanted to involve our local community in the Project. Our relationship with Octopus and the CEFC means our commitment to create a more sustainable future for our family farm and positive outcomes for our community has taken an exciting step forward.

Dominic Osborne

Founder and Landowner, Blind Creek Solar and Battery Project

In its Australian Guide for Agrisolar, the Clean Energy Council said the integration of solar energy and grazing within a single site can maximise the productive use of rural land as well as reduce operating costs. Benefits include:

• Keeps the pasture down, reducing fire risk
• Contributes to a stronger vegetation management regime
• Reduces operation and maintenance costs through the avoidance of regular mowing services
• Reduction in herbicide application and reduced risk of potential damage caused by mechanical equipment
• Increased health and wellbeing of sheep due to protection from the elements
• Access to greener pasture, particularly during dry conditions or drought.

Sheep and panels go together

At Blind Creek, grass species suited to shade will be planted immediately under the panels for prime lamb grazing. Normal grass species and cover crop species will be planted in the areas between the panels. The solar farm will co-exist with rotational grass fed lamb production, allowing for very short periods of intensive grazing. Panel spacing is designed to allow tractor access and grassland enhancements for grazing lambs. The site is flat and sandy, with the project designed to allow animal production to continue on the land as it has for 155 years.

Award winner

The project won the 2022 Clean Energy Council Community Engagement Award for its benefit sharing scheme and agrisolar initiatives.

The Clean Energy Council acknowledged the project’s extensive community engagement process and its work with the local community to pioneer a scheme that will share $3.5 million in benefits with neighbours and the community over the project’s lifetime. The Clean Energy Council also recognised the agrisolar project for being “specifically designed to co-exist with sheep grazing, regenerative agriculture, a soil carbon sequestration project and biodiversity restoration.