Telstra solar farm to cut energy costs

Telstra has invested in a new 70 MW solar farm in regional Queensland.

The company signed a long-term power purchase agreement with RES Australia that will see the development of a solar farm near Emerald in northern Queensland.

This arrangement will create new jobs and investment in the region, as well as generating enough green energy to power 35,000 households.

Construction of the new plant will begin later in 2017, with electricity generation expected to commence in 2018.

Telstra already has initiatives in place to install solar power systems at its Exchanges, reducing emissions intensity by 56% over the course of three years.

In addition, the company is considering opportunities that will enable it to use the back-up electricity generation and battery storage capacity in the network to generate more energy during times of peak demand.

This will reduce blackout risks, while offsetting high wholesale prices.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/adimas

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