Latest news

• 2022

  The first round of community funds was awarded to these community organisations in October 2022:

  • Balranald Motorcycle Club Inc awarded the full amount requested $13,825.35
  • Talented Children Program (Art gallery) awarded the full amount requested $9680.00
  • Balranald Field and Game awarded $6,273.00
  • St Joseph's School Annual Christmas Fete awarded $5000.00- Balranald 
  • New Year’s Eve event awarded $3000.00

• 2021

  November 2021

  • RWE officially launches Limondale Solar Farm Community Benefit Fund. The fund will provide $40,000 per year to good causes within the Balranald Shire. Read more
  • HP3 testing due to commence and expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

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  September 2021

  • 100 out of 100 inverters generating (220MW).
  • Limondale Solar Farm achieved its maximum output and all inverters are connected and generating energy.

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  July 2021

  • 66 out of 100 inverters generating (145MW).
  • 1 small test remaining for HP2 testing. Report and results being compiled by consultant 
  • New metering compliance system is now operational.

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  April 2021

  • Tracker commissioning at Limondale 1 has been completed and all trackers are capable to track to the full range of 55 degrees. 
  • Limondale 1 continues through its grid connection tests and is released to export up to 115MW (50% of its capacity)

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  29 January 2021: Tracker commissioning continues

  • 75% of the 57 blocks are now tracking to the full tracking range of 55 degrees
  • Limondale 1 continues its grid connection tests

• 2020

  21 December 2020: All 876,000 modules are now installed and tested

  • Installation of a final shipment of a few hundred modules marks the end of the physical construction works 
  • Limondale 1 is adapting to changing conditions in the grid network

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  24 November 2020: Limondale 1 ramps up to 75MW – approx. one third of its full capacity

  • Limondale 1 is making good progress in its grid connection tests 
  • Commissioning of the Limondale 1 trackers has continued with remote assistance from the tracker supplier 
  • 60% of the 57 blocks are now tracking to the full tracking range of 55 degrees

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  October 2020: Limondale 1 slowly increases output

  • Limondale 1 has now connected 17 of its 100  inverters to the grid – equivalent to a capacity of 37MW
  • Grid connection tests continue

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  21 September 2020: Construction works are complete and the main contractor has demobilised from site

  • Module installation and electrical testing of Limondale 1’s final block has been completed
  • Commissioning of the tracker system continues
  • Interim Operation and Maintenance activities are now being carried out

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  20 August 2020: Construction of Limondale 1’s final block has been completed

  • Commissioning of the harmonic filters (part of the grid connection equipment) at Limondale 1 was also completed
  • Commissioning of the tracker system is ongoing
  • Limondale 1 continues through its detailed grid connection and commissioning tests

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  30 July 2020: Limondale 1 has started its detailed grid connection and commissioning tests

  • Final tracker component deliveries have arrived on site
  • Construction of the final block of Limondale 1 will commence soon

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  30 June 2020: Limondale 1 achieves market registration

  • Limondale 1 is now able to start a series of detailed grid connection and commissioning tests
  • Final component deliveries are expected for July
  • Operation and Maintenance activities are increasing throughout the site

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  28 May 2020: 56 out of 57 blocks of PV panels are complete

  • Construction works are now paused until final component deliveries will be received
  • Commissioning works at Limondale 1, the larger part of the site, continue
  • Harmonic filters (part of the grid connection equipment) have been installed at Limondale 1

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  27 March 2020: Limondale 2 achieves full output of 29MWp

  • Grid tests of Limondale 2, the smaller first part of the site, are progressing well and the site is now allowed to export electricity to the grid at its full capacity
  • Over 818,000 of the 876,000 PV panels are now installed
  • Less than 1,000 piles of the total 58,000 remain to be installed

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  27 February 2020: 80% of PV panels installed

  • PV panels have been installed at recent rates of approx. 30,000 per week, and installation of the trackers also continues to progress well
  • Almost all construction components have now been delivered to site
  • Grid connection and commissioning tests of Limondale 2, the smaller first part of the site, continue and its electricity export to the grid is slowly being increased

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  16 January 2020: Construction works off to a flying start after Christmas break

  • A record number of 47,000 PV panels were installed in just one week, taking the total to 490,000 or 56% of the 876,000 panels installed
  • 49,000 of the 58,000 piles are now in the ground
  • Limondale 2, the smaller first part of the site, has started detailed grid connection and commissioning tests

• 2019

  20 December 2019: First electricity exported

  • The substation of the bigger second part of the site (Limondale 1) has successfully been energised and the first electricity generated
  • Limondale 1 will now be sequentially commissioned over the next months, as construction works continue to progress
  • Limondale 2, the smaller first part of the site, has successfully achieved market registration and will commence a period of detailed grid connection and commissioning tests in 2020

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  24 November 2019: Home stretch for the piling works - over 80% of piles now installed

  • Approximate 25.000 solar panels were installed on average every week in November
  • Preparations for the energisation of the second part of the site (Limondale 1) have commenced
  • On peak days more than 500 people work on site

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  30 October 2019: 30% of the solar farm PV panels installed

  • Piling works keep progressing, over 41,000 of 58,000 piles are in the ground
  • 43 of the 57 inverter stations are now installed
  • The substation of the bigger second part of the site (Limondale 1) has been completed by grid operator TransGrid

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  20 September 2019: Foundations for all 57 inverter stations complete

  • Piling works keep progressing, over 41,000 of 58,000 piles are in the ground
  • 43 of the 57 inverter stations are now installed
  • The substation of the bigger second part of the site (Limondale 1) has been completed by grid operator TransGrid

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  19 August 2019: First electricity exported

  • The substation for the smaller first part of the site (Limondale 2) has successfully been energised and we generated the first electricity from Limondale on 12th August
  • Over one third of the solar farm’s 58,000 piles are now installed
  • The new O&M building and adjacent store are nearing completion, which will house Limondale’s operational team

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  27 June 2019: Commissioning works continue

  • The grid connection for the smaller first part of the site has been completed by grid operator TransGrid
  • Commissioning works on the smaller substation and the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system are progressing
  • Installation and connection works of PV panels and tracker systems continue

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  07 June 2019: Wiring of PV panels commenced

  • PV panels and tracker systems that are already mechanically complete and inverter modules are now being electrically connected
  • Commissioning works on small substation started
  • The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system is being set-up and tested. This will allow remote monitoring of the solar farm.

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  15 May 2019: Pile installation continues

  • Wiring of the first tracker motor now underway
  • The first of two substations has been installed
  • Installation of inverter modules continues

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  17 April 2019: First PV panels are installed

  • Pile installation continues, with around 10% of 66.000 piles now installed
  • Erection of the tracker support frames and PV panels has commenced
  • Electrical cable installation is progressing

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  12 March 2019: Foundation works have started

  • Daily delivery of piles, cables, PV solar and other items are being received at around 16 containers per day
  • The extensive perimeter fencing (18km) is complete and a number of temporary workshops and stores have also been assembled. 
  • Piling of the PV module supports has commenced. Two piling rigs have already installed several hundred steel piles. 
  • The four inverter modules have arrived on site

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  17 January 2019: Main components arrived on site

  • Site facilities are being established and vegetation is being cleared.
  • Areas for deliveries and temporary workshops are being set up, ready to receive the first deliveries of materials and components that are due this month. 
  • Works on the site perimeter fence are also scheduled to begin shortly.

• 2018

  17 December 2018: Pre-construction works have been completed

  • Site access road to the compound area is complete from the Yanga Way
  • Construction has started