The Haystacks Solar Garden will enable people without a sunny roof access to the many benefits of rooftop solar. Whether you rent, live in an apartment or have an unsuitable roof for solar, this solar garden will unlock the sunny benefits for all. Grown out of a desire to make renewables accessible for everyone and enabling communities more control over their energy future, the Haystacks Solar Garden shows community owned and small scale solar farms are viable, replicable and provide multiple environmental and community benefits.
Australia’s first large-scale solar garden, allowing hundreds of people locked out of rooftop solar to access to the benefits of solar
• 1.5 megawatt community solar garden at Grong Grong in the Riverina
• Community owned solar co-operative facilitating credits to members’ electricity bills
• Joint project between Pingala, Community Power Agency and Komo Energy.
What is a solar garden?
Are you one of the nearly 35% of Australians unable to get the benefits of rooftop solar? Solar gardens are a solution for you.
A solar garden is a similar concept to a community garden, but instead of growing veggies, members get to harvest renewable electricity. People who want to install solar on their rooftop but aren’t able to can join a solar garden – located anywhere – and receive the benefits from collectively owned renewable electricity. We do this by joining together in a solar cooperative with many others who also want solar but can’t install it on their roof. Each of the cooperative members can purchase a plot in the solar garden. The electricity generated is sold to an electricity retailer and they provide a credit on the members’ electricity bills. Watch the video below to learn more.