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News

Caring for The Community

August 12, 2017

Community engagement is an important part of our planning approach as it allows us to understand stakeholders’ views and expectations. Community engagement is underway and will be ongoing as the development of Winton Solar Farm progresses.

FRV has completed detailed assessments of possible impacts on near neighbours such as glare and stormwater runoff during planning for the project. We are also engaging with neighbours to share information about construction as it progresses and manage any impacts wherever possible.

What about the local environment?

The endangered Regent Honeyeater is known to be present in the area. A Vegetation Protection Overlay applies onsite to protect the habitat for this species. We will preserve large remnants of native trees on the site, retain important nesting trees and avoid plantings completed by the Regent Honeyeater Project team to preserve habitat for this important species. Construction and operation of the Winton Solar Farm will have little impact on surrounding waterways.

FRV will also work in partnership with the Regent Honeyeater Project team to fund and plant more habitat corridors within the region.

Community Value

Construction of the Winton Solar Farm will bring considerable investment to the region. The solar farm will also create a new, sustainable industry that will complement the existing agricultural industry. We are keen for local business to be involved in providing a range of services such as electrical work, earthworks, transport, materials, fencing and hospitality during Winton Solar Farm’s construction and operation stages.  We will also look to provide training to local workers – especially younger workers – to ensure specialist skills developed in the course of the project’s construction stay in the area.

How can I get involved?

We are regularly in contact with residents and stakeholders. To register your interest in the project, please send us an email via the contact us page.

FRV Updates

Now in its fifth year, the Winton Solar Farm Community Grants Program continues to champion local organisations turning community-focused ideas into action.

As part of this year’s Grant program, five recipients will share in $30,000 of funding to deliver initiatives that strengthen connection, enhance liveability, and create lasting benefits for the Benalla region and surrounds.

The 2025 Winton Solar Farm Community Grants recipients and their funded projects are:

  • Zonta Wangaratta – for digital signage advocating against domestic violence during the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
  • Benalla Scouts Group – to upgrade the solar system at the Benalla Scout Hall with 20 new solar panels, a new inverter, a battery system, and an upgraded switchboard
  • Wangaratta Baptist Church – to support and expand the reach of Thread Together, a clothing assistance program
  • Border Triathlon Squad – to host a series of bicycle maintenance training workshops for children and teens aged 8 – 16
  • Laceby West Rural Fire Brigade – to purchase two thermal imaging cameras for firefighters to detect and extinguish hotspots, preventing reignition.

Since launching in 2021, the Community Grants Program has grown into a valued platform for supporting local ideas, with more than $150,000 invested across 26 community projects.

From small-scale renewable energy infrastructure to sustainability initiatives and youth programs, the program has helped bring a wide range of community-led projects to life – each helping to build a stronger, more connected, and sustainable future for the Benalla region and surrounds.

FRV Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Carlo Frigerio, said the program continues to demonstrate the power of local knowledge, leadership, and collaboration.

“Seeing community-driven projects come to life is always a highlight. It’s exciting to watch them grow from local ideas to real-world outcomes that deliver meaningful, lasting benefits for the communities they support,” he said.

“The success of this year’s program is a testament to the passion and dedication of the community groups driving these initiatives. We have consistently been impressed by the calibre of applications, and the thought, care and local insight behind each project.”

While this year marks the final round of the Winton Solar Farm Grants Program, FRV Australia remains committed to supporting community growth and wellbeing through other initiatives, including through the project’s partnership with the Regent Honeyeater Project.

FRV Australia would like to thank the community for their involvement and enthusiasm this year.

For more information about the Winton Solar Farm and Community Grants Program please visit www.wintonsolarfarm.com.

 

About the Winton Solar Farm

Winton Solar Farm received Planning Approval in early 2018 and is has been built on a private 250-hectare site approximately 25km southwest of Wangaratta. This location is well suited to a solar farm, with very high levels of sunlight and proximity to the existing electricity grid.

The solar farm will also contribute to the achievement of Victoria’s renewable energy target. Following a 2018 public tender process, Winton Solar Farm was awarded a 15-year support agreement by the State Government for clean energy generated by the project. The tender was part of the Government’s Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) to source 25 percent of its electricity production from renewables by 2020 increasing to 50% by 2030.

Construction of the 85-megawatt (MW) Solar Farm was completed in 2021, and the asset is now up and running. The solar farm has an operating life of around 30 years.

 

About FRV Services

FRV Australia is one of the largest solar developers, asset owners and renewable energy platforms in Australia and one of the first solar developers to enter the Australian market and the first company to deliver a project-financed large scale solar farm in Australia with the Royalla Solar Farm near Canberra operating since August 2014. The company has developed almost 800MWdc of Australian PV assets built or under construction across 9 projects for a total project investment value of over 1 billion dollars. The activities are based in Sydney and the company has a multidisciplinary team of over 40 employees. With the ambition to continue leading the global transition to a more sustainable energy future. FRV Australia has evolved from being just a developer to becoming an independent power producer.

The company is owned by Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, a world leader in the development of sustainable energy solutions (51%) and OMERS, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans (49%); the OMERS stake is managed by OMERS Infrastructure, a global leader in infrastructure investing.

For more information, please contact Eleni Sgardelis – 0435 861 682

Bernard Briggs Pre-school is expected to save around $1500 a year on electricity, thanks to some newly installed solar panels.

Benalla Hockey Club and Glenrowan Primary School have been hard at work upgrading sports equipment and school facilities. Both have been recipients of the recent Community Grants Program, with funding allocated to support community lead initiatives.

MOREE SOLAR FARM

Moree Solar Farm began operations in 2016 and was the first large-scale solar project in Australia to use a single-axis tracking system.

 

Lilyvale Solar Farm near Emerald, Queensland (100MW)

Financial close of the Lilyvale Solar Farm was achieved during September 2017 with operations expected to commence in 2018. The project will benefit from a PPA with Ergon Energy, the QLD-government owned retailer, part of the Energy Queensland group, who will purchase 100% of the electricity generated by the project.