The Australian government has granted environmental approval to the Tumuruu solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland, marking the federal government’s 140th renewable energy project approved under national environmental law.
Developer Blackbutt received sign-off from both the federal environment minister and the South Burnett Regional Council, with the approval finalised in just 19 days.
The project is set to significantly strengthen the state’s energy security and contribute to Australia’s transition away from fossil fuels.
The Tumuruu facility will comprise a 400-megawatt (MW) solar farm capable of generating enough electricity to power more than 160,000 homes per year.
Power will be delivered to consumers via an underground cable connecting to the Queensland SuperGrid.
Complementing the solar generation capacity, a 100MW BESS with a two gigawatt-hour (GWh) storage capacity will provide a reliable round-the-clock energy supply to the grid.
The scale of the project puts it well above the needs of its immediate surroundings.
Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt, highlighted the contrast between output and local demand.
“This solar farm and BESS will produce enough electricity to power almost 10 times the number of homes in Queensland’s South Burnett region,” said Minister Watt.
Beyond energy generation, the project is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 870,000 CO2-equivalent tonnes per year, a reduction comparable to removing approximately 325,000 passenger vehicles from Australian roads annually.
The swift approval was partly attributed to the project’s considered design. Minister Watt noted the facility is planned for predominantly cleared land, limiting its footprint on native ecosystems.
“It was able to be assessed quickly because it was designed to be low-impact on the natural environment and will be located on predominately cleared land,” he said.
The project is expected to deliver tangible economic benefits to the South Burnett region.
During construction, approximately 100 jobs will be created, with up to 17 ongoing operational roles upon completion.
A dedicated community liaison position will also be established to maintain engagement with local stakeholders throughout the project’s life.
Minister Watt said the broader economic and energy benefits were clear.
“This solar farm and BESS will produce enough electricity to power almost 10 times the number of homes in Queensland’s South Burnett region,” he said.
“It will also create good quality jobs in the South Burnett region, including 100 construction jobs, up to 17 operational jobs and a community liaison role.”
The Tumuruu approval comes as the federal government rolls out reforms to the national environmental law passed by Parliament late last year.
Those changes, being implemented throughout 2026, are designed to reward developers who invest in thorough upfront design work.
“Our national environmental law reforms – passed by the Parliament late last year, and rolling out throughout 2026 – will continue to build on this principle that proponents who can provide sufficient information upfront and design their proposals in line with new tests and standards, will see meaningful reductions in EPBC Act assessment timeframes,” said Minister Watt.
The government stated that the faster approval pipeline is critical to meeting Australia’s renewable energy targets while maintaining robust environmental standards.