Pilbara Solar, a 50% Aboriginal-controlled startup business and recognised social enterprise, has received an offer to connect (OTC) for the 10 MW Junja Solar Farm at Jinparinya located 26 kilometres east of Port Hedland, to deliver power to Western Australia’s (WAs) state-owned gentailer Horizon Power’s coastal network, known as Pilbara Network.
Jinparinya Community Spokesperson Barry Taylor said the offer is the final milestone in developing the community’s first renewable energy project, which will feature approximately 30,000 solar panels set on 25.6 hectares of land, to produce 30 GWh per year and power the equivalent of 3,000 homes, with an operational life of about 30 years.
“Income earned from the project will be put back into the community for social and housing programs and the benefits of this project include 5% free carry ownership; the chance to increase our ownership with financing; annual lease payments; payment of community energy bills and civil works contracted to Cundaline Resources which is a business owned by our community members,” Taylor said.
The project will be funded by approximately $30 million of private investment and is fully aligned with the WA government’s Pilbara Energy Plan and its decarbonisation commitment to implement a “rapid, orderly and equitable transition”.
The project has significant technical and regulatory ambitions being the first renewable independent power plant connected to the Pilbara Network, and the preliminary engineering design includes the first solar tracking array in the Pilbara coastal region which experiences the most severe cyclones in Australia.
Nyamal Elder and Pilbara Solar Director Doris Eaton said the solar farm provides First Nations people with benefits, including employment for mechanical and electrical works being offered firstly to community members and businesses; free rooftop solar for selected community buildings; sports team sponsorship; rolling apprenticeships and administrative and maintenance jobs for community members throughout the 20+ year lifespan of the project.
“Junja means sunshine and this will be the first renewable energy project in the Pilbara with First Nations equity share,” Eaton said.
“The project is development approved, has land security with sublease registered with Landgate; all environmental, vegetation clearing, heritage, native title and other approvals have been obtained. The project is shovel-ready and open for business. We are ready to sell our green energy to Pilbara businesses.”
Thudgari man and Pilbara Solar Director Peter Windie said the project will have a long-lasting impact for the local people.
“We are so proud of this project. It will bring an estimated $9 million of benefits to First Nations communities, including the Jinparinya Aboriginal Corporation which is the community residing on Country, and the Wanparta Aboriginal Corporation representing the Ngarla traditional owners,” Windie said.
Junja Solar Farm is a step forward for economic empowerment of First Nations people and for the energy transition in the Pilbara.
Pilbara Solar was founded in 2017 with a message of First Nations equity share for communities, starting a movement in that direction across the clean energy sector, in particular in WA. The Junja Solar Farm has taken five years to be “shovel ready” but it remains the most advanced project in the Pilbara developed in partnership with First Nations communities.
