Local to national benefits
The Bookaar Solar Farm will deliver significant benefits to the local community and the wider region. This flows from the capital investment in infrastructure along with the direct and indirect employment created at each stage of the Proposal.
Beginning with the environmental studies, assessments have largely been conducted by Victorian based planning and environmental firms. During construction, it is estimated that the Proposal will generate up to 150 jobs over a year or more. This will be followed by approximatley 6 full time equivalent (local) positions during the 28-year operational phase of the Proposal. A large decommissioning team, similar in scale to the construction phase, will be required to decommission the Proposal and restore the site to its pre-development condition.
In addition to direct employment, significant employment will be generated indirectly. Indirect or flow on jobs include employment locally and in the wider community (at the regional, state and national levels), as the economic effects of the capital investment flow through the economy. Indirect employment within the Camperdown and the wider Corangamite Shire would include jobs in catering, accommodation, and the trade and service industries.
At the national level, the socioeconomic and environmental benefits of transitioning to a low carbon future are large, providing potential benefits to entire communities and helping to maintain quality of life. Indeed, increased adoption of renewable energy will assist Australia to transition away from traditional carbon intensive electricity production which is linked to atmospheric pollution and carbon emissions associated with climate change. Reduced carbon emissions have the potential to halt or slow the effects of climate change, benefiting both current and future generations.