The Australian government has approved the 100-megawatt Hookey Creek Solar Farm in Queensland in a record 17 days, a move hailed as a major leap toward Australia’s clean energy future.
The facility, set to be constructed 25 kilometres northwest of Gympie, will include a 200MW battery energy storage system with up to eight hours capacity, ensuring a steady supply of renewable power for the region.
The solar farm is designed to generate enough electricity to power 40,000 homes while delivering substantial environmental benefits.
According to project figures, it will cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 208,000 CO2-equivalent tonnes annually, equating to the effect of taking about 75,000 passenger cars off Australian roads each year.
The project’s rapid approval — completed less than three weeks after application — marks a new standard for streamlined environmental assessment.
Officials credit the swift timeline to thoughtful project design that minimises ecological impact.
“This was made possible because the 267-hectare project site was designed so its environmental impacts were minimised,” Environment Minister Murray Watt said.
The Hookey Creek Solar Farm will feed power into the Queensland SuperGrid through underground cabling, with generated energy traded on the National Electricity Market.
A key feature of the development is its compatibility with existing agricultural uses.
“It will be located on predominantly cleared land, so there’s an option for agricultural use on the site, including sheep grazing through the solar array, demonstrating once again that there’s ways for renewables and agriculture to work together,” Minister Watt noted.
The project is expected to support up to 264 direct jobs during construction, with several ongoing positions once operational, delivering a local economic boost alongside its environmental benefits.
Minister Watt emphasised the broader implications for Australia’s energy landscape, stating: “Since 2022, the Albanese government has given the green light to 90 new renewable energy projects — enough to power more than 11 million Australian homes,” he said.
“This new solar farm is another important contributor and its approval process took just 17 days.
“Under the Albanese government, Australia is producing record amounts of renewable electricity, as we head towards transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower.”
Construction of the Hookey Creek Solar Farm is scheduled to commence in 2027, with completion targeted for mid-2029.
As the government accelerates renewable energy approvals, the Hookey Creek project stands as a model of how clean power, climate action, and local prosperity can advance together.