Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), BP Solar and Pacific Hydro jointly announced that their joint proposal to build Australia’s first utility scale solar project, the 150MW Moree Solar Farm in the NSW Tablelands, has been selected as part of the Solar Flagships Program by the Federal Government.

The Moree Solar Farm, part of the Federal Government’s Solar Flagships Program, has committed $1.5 billion to support the construction and operation of solar power stations around Australia and will start producing electricity from its Moree facility in 2013. With a total generating capacity of 150MW and covering an area of 9 square kilometers, the Moree Solar Farm, located in the New South Wales Tablelands near the regional town of Moree, will be one of the biggest grid connected solar photovoltaic installations in the world.

After competition, the Moree Solar Farm will comprise around 650,000 high efficiency solar photovoltaic panels and generate enough electricity to fully power approximately 45,000 homes (roughly the size of Darwin), leading to an annual displacement of around 400,000 tonnes of CO2 through generation of renewable electricity.

“The Moree Plains Shire is extremely excited that Moree has been chosen as the best location for Australia’s first solar power plant of this size”, said Katrina Humphries, Mayor of Moree Plains Shire.

Independent power producer FRV holds the majority equity shares in the consortium. BP Solar will play the roles of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction contractor, and will be a minority equity holder in the project. Pacific Hydro, one of Australia’s leading renewable energy businesses, will also be holding a minority equity shares in the project.