The agreement means that the NSW government will use all the energy that the farm produces.

Northern Tablelands MP and State Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy Adam Marshall said he was looking forward to construction of the 20 megawatt solar farm getting underway.

“The business case for this solar farm is being underpinned by the NSW Government, with the signing of a PPA for all the energy that it generates,” he said.

“Whilst ARENA provided the funding which is a federal agency, all of the five projects in NSW are viable and able to receive funding because of the PPA the State government has signed.

“This is even more important than funding from the federal government because for investment to happen in these projects the investors have to know they have a buyer for the electricity that will be generated, you can’t establish a business without knowing you have a strong customer base.”

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the White Rock solar farm will be good for the local economy and that its construction in 2017 is largely due to the federal government’s $6 million ARENA grant.

“The Wind Farm project will employ up to 200 people locally during the construction phase and generate 10 full-time positions over a 20 year period, so that must be good for the local economy,” he said.

Mr Marshall said the State government can play a major role in seeing NSW become the renewables capital of Australia.

“This will happen by actually securing the viability of renewable energy projects by signing the PPA’s,” he said.

“The state government has enormous energy needs, think of all the government buildings in Glen Innes alone, all the schools, the ambulance station, the hospital, the police station, the RMS services office they are all big energy users and that is where the NSW government can play a big role.”