We acknowledge the Yorta Yorta people, Traditional Owners of the land on which Numurkah Solar Farm harvests the energy of the sun. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

FAQs

Solar

Construction of the Numurkah solar farm began in September 2018 and it commenced full scale operations on 19 July 2019.

Numurkah Solar Farm uses similar technology to that used in residential solar photovoltaic installations with the main difference being that solar farm panels are usually mounted on systems that track the sun through the sky. Numurkah Solar Farm uses premium quality solar panels and other technologies provided by leading manufacturers.

The Numurkah solar farm will operate for between 25 and 30 years. Depending on the local environment, the panels can generate electricity for 30 years or more with only about 0.5% efficiency loss each year.

When light shines on a solar panel the light’s photons knock electrons free from the material within the solar panel producing electricity. A inverter transforms the electricity generated from the solar panels from direct current (DC) electricity to alternating current (AC) electricity. This AC electricity is transmitted to a substation through medium voltage underground cables where it is distributed to the grid. The amount of energy generated is determined by the intensity and angle of the light hitting the solar panels. This is why the solar farm uses a tracking systems to optimise the angle of the panel to the sun throughout the day.

The solar panels at Numurkah are 1m x 2m in size and are arranged in rows that are 30, 60 or 90 m long. These rows of solar panels are spaced 5 to 7m apart. The height of a fully tilted solar panel is 3 to 4 metres above the ground.

Photovoltaic panels are designed to reflect as little light as possible (generally around 2%) to maximise their efficiency. Solar farms are not considered reflective and have been installed at or near number of airports around the world.

ECONOMy

Each of HMC Capital’s projects benefit the local community by creating employment. Over 300 people were employed during the construction of the Numurkah solar farm with 5-6 people employed locally in full-time positions during operations. In addition, Numurkah Solar Farm has established a community fund to support local community projects for the life of the solar farm.
According to the CSIRO, renewable energy projects are now the cheapest sources of new energy generation. Solar energy projects produce energy at approximately $43 per megawatt hour. The costs of other sources of generation are:
 
Wind: approximately $70 per megawatt hour
Combined gas-cycle generation: approximately $128 per megawatt hour
New Brown coal: approximately $131 per megawatt hour

Solar energy forms just one part of the Australian Energy Market Operators (AEMO) move towards renewable energy. Solar farms add to the supply side of the electricity supply-demand equation, which puts downward pressure on all electricity bills.

HMC Capital does not require government subsidies to finance its projects. We finance our projects through a combination of our own equity and long-term bank loans. However, we sometimes enter into agreements with governments or businesses to sell the power produced by our projects.

Health & Culture

No health issues have been associated with solar panels. Solar panels are installed on more than 25% of Australian homes and have been on homes throughout the world for the past 15 years.

Numurkah Solar Farm uses the same type of solar panel technology.

SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT

Numurkah Solar Farm engaged specialist consultants to undertake detailed flora and fauna surveys to determine the ecological attributes of the land before the solar farm is built.
On all of our projects, we aim to minimise the impact on flora and fauna by designing projects to be constructed outside areas of high conservation significance and adopting control measures during the construction process.
 
Other mitigation measures include preparing management plans, identifying ‘no-go zones’ within the project site and conducting pre-clearance surveys.
 
HMC Capital also consults with government departments of environment and biodiversity throughout the development, construction and operational stages of projects, as well as local non-government organisations.
Numurkah solar farm is home to several hundred Merino sheep who graze the vegetation around the solar panels throughout the year.
There is no inherent fire risk attached to photovoltaic panels or solar farms. There is a cleared vegetation zone around the edges of the solar farms to prevent fire propagation. This is complemented by a strict vegetation management plan to manage fuel loads on site.