Dawn Renewables Welcomes Major Delivery Milestone for Cobbora Solar Farm

Pacific Partnerships acquires development rights to deliver renewable project on former coal mine site in NSW’s first Renewable Energy Zone.  

17 June 2024 

Clean energy developer Dawn Renewables has welcomed a significant milestone in the development of the 700-megawatt (MW) Cobbora Solar Farm, confirming that leading infrastructure investor Pacific Partnerships has acquired development rights and committed to delivering the project.  

Dawn Renewables has been spearheading the development of the Cobbora Solar Farm since 2021, establishing the critical planning and strategic foundations needed to bring high-capacity clean energy generation to regional New South Wales.  

The project represents a historical transformation for the region. A decade ago, the site was originally slated by the NSW Government for a major state-owned open-cut coal mine. Following the cancellation of that proposal, the land has now been repurposed to stand at the forefront of the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) - the state’s very first declared Renewable Energy Zone.  

The 700MW asset will deliver direct social and economic benefits to surrounding communities. The project is expected to create up to 700 direct jobs during construction, driving substantial ongoing revenue for local contractors, civil engineering teams, accommodation providers and service industries across the Dubbo and Warrumbungle regions.  

“The Cobbora Solar Farm will be located on a low, undulating landscape. This makes it an ideal site for a solar farm development,” said Tim Kirk, Director at Dawn Renewables. “Having championed this project since 2021, we are proud to see a site once intended for fossil fuel extraction now leading New South Wales’s energy transition. Most importantly, this project ensures the economic rewards stay local – creating hundreds of regional jobs, supporting regional suppliers and establishing a lasting partnership with the local community”.   

With Pacific Partnerships committing to final delivery and construction, Dawn Renewables will continue to work alongside key project partners to support local community outcomes as the solar farm progresses.