The Adani Group has finalised land deals in Australia to build two solar plants worth $300 million (approximately Rs 2 lakh crore) to develop 1,500 MW of renewable capacity in five years, PTI reported on Friday. Adani said that these solar projects will be in addition to its investment in the planned Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, which has been mired in controversies.
While one solar plant will be set up in south Australia’s Whyalja region, another will be in Moranbah in east Australia. Each solar plants cost approximately $150 million (Rs 1 lakh crore). The Whyalja project is expected to be completed in a year and is likely to create 350 jobs, the company said in a statement.
Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer said the council looked forward to the potential economic gains from the project. “Whyalla City Council strongly supports renewable projects, and we believe Adani’s solar generator project will bring major benefits to the City of Whyalla and the region as a whole.”
On August 19, 2016, the Australian Supreme Court had dismissed appeals lodged by indigenous community member Adrian Burrgubba as well as a Brisbane-based environmental group against Adani’s $16-billion coal and mining project. Burrgubba had argued that the National Native Title Tribunal was misled by Adani regarding the economic benefits that would be created by its mine project.
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