Bannerton Solar Farm Project

31/7/19

The Bannerton Solar Farm is an 88 MW AC/110MW DC solar farm project located near Robinvale Victoria and began construction in September 2017. UGL Engineering contracted Yellow Hire’s supply of dry hire machines for the project and completed the project over a period of 12 months, valued at $133 million. The dry hire plant provided for the project included telehandler hire, small tip truck hire, generator hire, water pumps hire and water truck hire. We also provided mechanical and maintenance support throughout the project for our machines, ensuring that the project continued as scheduled.

What is the Bannerton Solar Farm Project?

Comprised of 320 000 solar panels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 94 600 tonnes per annum and capable of generating enough electricity to power 30 000 homes, the Bannerton Solar Farm's power generation significantly benefits the stability of Victoria's power grid, at both a local level and state level. For residents in the Robinvale region, the power generated by the solar farm reduces power prices in the area between Red Cliffs and Boundary Bend. Prior to the Bannerton Solar Farm project, the transmission of power through the power grid to the Robinvale region attributed to energy losses from the transmission lines between the Latrobe Valley and Robinvale. As the power now comes from a local source, these energy losses were largely removed and therefore the extra cost of power can be reduced. The extra stability to the grid that the Bannerton Solar Farm produces and the reduced costs of power together benefits local agriculture, especially freezing and cool room storage operations from local orchards. The power generated by Bannerton Solar Farm also provides power for Melbourne’s tram network, bringing renewable viability to the Melbourne’s public transport sector and supporting Victoria State’s target for 40% renewable energy by 2025.

How did Yellow Hire's dry hire service and maintenance support crews help?

Yellow Hire’s dry hire telehandlers, small tip trucks, water trucks were all offered to UGL Engineering to use while relying on our maintenance and mechanical crews to keep the condition of the machine up to date to avoid any breakdowns on site. We maintained a strong relationship with UGL Engineering throughout the project by supplying them with any attachment or additional machine they needed as quickly as possible.

Our telehandlers were utilised for the lifting and installation of the solar panels during the process, relying on our telehandler’s stability and top-quality condition to lift the solar panels safely. Our small tip trucks for hire worked to remove any excess earth from the project and perform material haulage for the project. Because of the remote nature of the project, Yellow Hire also assisted by providing generators and water pumps for our water trucks hire, which was used for non-destructive digging purposes and dust suppression on the project, as well as providing a reliable water source on site. Finally, our mechanical and maintenance crews worked around the clock to keep our machines in the best of condition and to keep on top of the demands of the project.