The Federal Government has granted environmental approval for what could become the largest solar farm in the world. 

Approval has been issued under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) for SunCable's Australia-Asia Power Link (AAPowerLink) energy project in the Northern Territory.

The AAPowerLink project aims to generate up to 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar power, including up to 35 gigawatt hours of battery storage, on a 12,000-hectare site between Elliott and Tennant Creek. 

The plan is to transmit electricity over an 800-kilometre transmission line to Darwin, and further to Singapore via a 4,300-kilometre subsea cable. 

SunCable's Managing Director, Cameron Garnsworthy, says the company will now focus on advancing the project towards a final investment decision (FID) expected by 2027, with construction anticipated to commence in late 2028.

The project is set to bring significant economic benefits to the Northern Territory, with SunCable estimating over $20 billion in economic value during the construction phase and the first 35 years of operation. 

It is also expected to create approximately 6,800 direct and indirect jobs annually during construction, peaking at 14,300 jobs. 

Beyond economic gains, the project is poised to foster the growth of green industries in the Northern Territory and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has described the project as a “generation-defining piece of infrastructure”, noting that it will produce nearly six times the energy of a typical large nuclear reactor. 

Plibersek emphasised that the project is not just about meeting energy demands but also about bolstering the local economy and creating jobs. 

While the project has received crucial approvals, several challenges remain. 

SunCable must negotiate Indigenous land use agreements with Traditional Owners in the Northern Territory and secure further approvals from the Singaporean and Indonesian governments for the subsea cable. 

The project's timeline is ambitious, with electricity supply to Singapore not expected until the early 2030s.

The project's success will depend on its ability to navigate technological, regulatory, and financial hurdles in the years ahead.

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