Community

Our commitment to people and sustainability

Increasing the use of solar energy is important to reduce the consumption of carbon-intensive fossil fuels, responsible for the damaging impacts of climate change.

FRV is passionate about this project and recognises the importance of ensuring the project is a success for the local community. It is important that the concerns of the local and broader community are considered and addressed appropriately.

Adjacent residents will be notified of the project milestones and FRV will make every effort to update neighbours and the community as we progress with our plans for the solar farm – it’s important to us that residents feel they have every opportunity to talk with us at all stages of the project.

Community

If you are a member of the community or are interested in the project, we encourage you to share any thoughts, concerns or suggestions you may have, and they will be considered and addressed appropriately. You can provide comments directly to FRV here. Please include accurate and complete contact information so we can get in touch to further understand your comments.

Economic and Social Benefits

Metz Solar Farm is expected to create job opportunities during construction and operations. FRV requires all contractors working on its solar farm developments to hire local contractors and utilise local suppliers wherever possible.

The project will deliver significant benefits to the Armidale area and the wider community with the creation of direct jobs throughout each stage of the project’s life cycle. During the construction period, it is estimated that the project could provide jobs for up to 100 workers over the course of a year.

During operations, 2 to 3 ongoing operational roles will be created. Maintenance contracts for panel cleaning, fence repair, road grading, etc. would also be required and would likely be met by local contractors.

Metz Solar Farm represents a positive diversification of the local economy and brings investment to the area. It delivers additional indirect economic opportunities to local businesses including local grocery stores, restaurants, cafés, accommodation providers, petrol stations, vehicle servicing, pubs, catering, cleaning companies, tradespersons, tool and equipment suppliers and many other businesses.

Environmental Benefits

The plant will connect to the national grid and generate enough power to supply up to 40,000 Australian households each year; more than half of the total 66,000 households in the region. At the same time, it is estimated that the annual greenhouse gas emissions avoided by the project will be 288,000 tonnes of CO2equivalent.