Australian National University (ANU) researchers have developed a tool that shows the best locations around Australia for new wind or solar farms.

The ANU ‘heat maps’ project is aimed at farmers and landholders, whom the researchers say are crucial to accelerating Australia’s solar and wind uptake and to meeting its renewable energy targets.

Cheng Cheng, an ANU PhD researcher involved in the study, said the project will empower landowners to approach developers directly and negotiate with them to build solar or wind farms on their property.

“Access to high voltage transmission lines is essential for solar and wind farms, and landholders in windy and sunny areas near existing infrastructure have a valuable economic opportunity,” he said. 

“Our heat maps are designed to facilitate collective bargaining with developers. This can also assist the solar and wind farm developers by reducing the complexity and time required to gain legal access and community acceptance. 

“If landowners or local councils are able to access this sort of information and collectively approach developers themselves, it could speed up the development process. Currently, developers approaching individual landowners may face high rejection rates.

“Landholders who host solar or wind farms have another drought-proof income source. This is beneficial for farmers, as crops can be grown underneath both solar and wind farms, and animals can have access to shade.”

Access to high power transmission lines is the biggest constraint facing developers, Professor Andrew Blakers, from the ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics, said.

“Typical power lines cross dozens to hundreds of properties and require complex negotiations with many people. In contrast, solar and wind farms generally fit on one or a few properties. That usually makes an access agreement much easier to negotiate.

“All of the possible sites we’ve identified are near existing and approved high power transmission lines.

“These [heat] maps show the relative cost of renewable energy on each 1,000m by 1,000m parcel of land for solar farms and 250m by 250m parcel for wind.”

All land in Australia has been divided into different cost categories for solar and wind generation, ranging from Class A to Class E. Professor Blakers said Class A, B, and C sites are strongly preferred.

More information about relative costs and renewable energy potential for every LGA in each state and territory can be accessed here. 

The most suitable locations across Australia are highlighted red, and less preferred sites are outlined in pink or blue, while unsuitable areas, including urban areas, protected areas, and native forests, have been excluded from this study and are shown in green. 

The heat maps use geographic information to identify the best possible locations.

The area between Goulburn and Lithgow, NSW, is especially suitable for new clean energy sites because it is well serviced by transmission lines, and has good wind and solar resources, Professor Blakers said.

Tasmania has plenty of potential for new wind farms along the north coast and on King and Flinders islands. Victoria’s Yallourn district has good wind potential and strong existing transmission into Melbourne, and local coal industry jobs need to be replaced, while west of Melbourne also has extensive wind potential

South Australia has excellent wind and solar potential to the east of the St Vincent and Spencer gulfs, while Queensland’s best wind and solar sites follow the coastal transmission lines north from Brisbane in areas such as Rockhampton and Mackay.

Perth has an abundance of suitable solar and wind sites close to transmission lines that run from the north and the south of the city.

CWP Renewables and Innovation Connections supported the project.