288 Neighbors Build Australia's Largest Community Solar Farm

When Ed Suttle and his neighbors decided to build a commercial solar farm 12 years ago, they freely admit they knew "nothing" about how to do it. What they did know was that they were tired of waiting for action on climate change.

Today, their 1.4-megawatt solar farm stands proudly on the outskirts of Goulburn, a rural NSW community. The facility features 2,300 panels and a 4-megawatt battery, making it Australia's first community solar project with battery storage.

The project attracted 288 local investors who pooled $3.2 million of their own money, matched with a $2.3 million state government grant. Investments ranged from $400 for a single panel to $100,000, with the youngest shareholders being Ed's grandchildren.

"Suddenly here we are amongst the panels, watching the sun send electrons to the people and my kids all own little parts of this with the community," said Dave Suttle, Ed's son. He loves that the project gives the community control over their energy at a time of uncertainty.

The farm will sell energy back to the grid, providing investors with roughly five percent returns. But profit isn't the only goal.

The Ripple Effect

Part of the earnings will fund a community assistance program to help Goulburn residents who struggle to pay their quarterly electricity bills. The facility operates as a cooperative where every investor gets an equal say, regardless of how much they invested.

"I think it's that sense of control and feeling you're a part of the change and a part of the solution that gets people emotionally invested, not just financially invested," said sheep farmer Dimity Taylor, who enjoys seeing the panels as she drives into town.

The journey wasn't easy. What should have been a six-week regulatory approval process stretched to 18 months, partly because the farm sits adjacent to a rail line requiring extensive consultation. Combined with COVID delays, the project took years longer than expected.

Kim Mallee from Community Power Agency says Goulburn filled what experts call "the missing middle" in Australian renewables: mid-scale projects between rooftop solar and massive commercial farms. Her organization recently offered five mentorship spots for similar community projects and received 26 applications.

"What this farm shows is that Goulburn is not a backwards, conservative, country city," Ed Suttle said. "Within that country city are enough people, with enough oomph and energy to create something that is bloody close to unique."

The sun keeps coming back for free, and now 288 neighbors are harnessing it together.