SYDNEY: Australia has opened its first large-scale solar farm on Wednesday in the Midwest region of Western Australia, the government's environment agency said in a statement. The 10-megawatt (MW) capacity Greenough River Solar Farm, which has a field of 150,000 panels, is the nation's largest solar photovoltaic project. The solar farm is expected to produce enough electricity to power about 3,000 homes and displace 20,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Environment activist Sean Williamson told Bikyamasr.com that this is a positive step for the country in pushing alternative clean energy sources. “We have a vast amount of untouched land here in Australia and using it for these purposes just makes sense,” the campaigner added. The project covers a 50-hectare pastoral land in the Mid West and will provide power for the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant which supplies drinking water for Perth and the southwest region of WA. Water Minister Bill Marmion said the farm was a major boost for WA's renewable energy sector.
