New Guideline Released For Large-scale Solar Projects

The NSW Government has released a revised Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline (Guideline), which provides updated direction on the planning framework and assessment of State significant development (SSD) solar developments, including how the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) will assess impacts.

Snapshot

• SSD solar projects must now engage with new assessment principles under the Guideline when considering their environmental, social, and economic impacts.
• The key assessment principles focus on landscape character, visual amenity, agricultural land, glint and glare, waste management, and decommissioning.
• A new Technical Supplement supports the Guideline which standardises the methodology for visual and landscape impact assessment and provides for a more rigorous assessment of such impacts specific to large-scale solar projects.