Our Social Licence Commitments

Hopeland Solar Farm has been named as a successful bidder in Australia’s first national renewable energy tender.

Known as the Australian Government Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), the program aims to accelerate investment in renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar, and clean dispatchable capacity, such as battery storage.

It provides a long-term revenue safety net that ensures more renewable energy projects get built. We are proud to be contributing to an energy system for Australia that is low cost, reliable and well equipped to power local homes and businesses, and excited to contribute to the community through local employment and benefit sharing initiatives during construction and once the Hopeland Solar Farm is operational.

Bids for the Capacity Investment Scheme were rigorously assessed through a fully independent third party, AEMO Services Limited, based on the project’s likelihood of lowering wholesale energy market prices, how well it helps deliver system reliability, and proposed benefits to local communities and First Nations Australians, including through using locally sourced project materials and supplies, and job creation.

Shared community benefits commitments

During construction, the project will deliver in real terms: a $385,000 Community Benefit Fund and engagement consultant that will spend $137,500 p.a. on average from 2026 to 2028 supporting key community initiatives focused on health and wellbeing, education, and community investment projects including the annual Big Leg Up Grant or partnership and smaller Helping Hands Grant or partnerships:

$65,000 in total ($32,500 p.a. for two grants from 2026 – 2028 for the Big Leg Up grants)

$60,000 in total ($10,000 p.a. for six grants from 2026 – 2028 for the Helping Hands grant)

During operations, the project will deliver a $625,000 Community Benefit Fund that will spend $62,500 p.a. on average from 2028 – 2038 supporting key community initiatives focused on health and wellbeing, education, and community investment projects including the annual Big Leg Up grant or partnership and Helping Hands grants or partnerships. We will also commit to $150,000 to monitor and maintain the website and contact us hotline from 2038 to 2063.

First Nations people commitments

During construction, we have committed $20,000 over two years from 2026 – 2028 to sponsoring the First Nations Training and Capacity Building program by our Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor, through its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Undergraduate Scholarship Program

During construction, we have committed to a total of $3.9m of the EPC Contactor’s direct procurement packages to First Nations Businesses, over two years from 2026 to 2028

During construction, we have committed to the equivalent of $1.9m of the total EPC labour hours for First Nation Participation, over two years from 2026 to 2028

Throughout construction and operation phases, the project will provide $120,000 over 12 years (on average, $10,000 p.a. from 2026 to 2038) to the First Nations people as part of the Helping Hands grants or partnerships

Commitments to local employment

Throughout the construction phase, we have committed $20,000 over 2 years (on average, $10,000 p.a. from 2026 to 2028) to fund partially subsidised TAFE courses.

Our EPC contractor will appoint an Industry and Aboriginal Participation person to the project, whose responsibility will be to engage with local community, business and council and with First Nations Businesses and representatives. The average annual commitment is $142,343 over 1.5 years during construction, from January 2026 to July 2027, for a total commitment of $213,515.

Commitments related to use of local content

During the development phase from 2023 to 2025, approximately $15m of the development costs has been and will be sourced from Local Content.

During the construction phase from 2026 to 2028, approximately $179m of the EPC contract value is committed for spending on Local Content (Including construction labor) throughout the construction phase. Commitments also included procurement from QLD Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), within local zones 1,2 or 3 as defined under the Queensland Procurement Policy (OPP).


During the construction phase, approximately $6.5m of the non- EPC cost will be spent on Local Content from 2026 to 2028.

During the operations phase approximately $223m will be spent on Local Content, including Operations and Maintenance services, land leases, connection charges, asset management, benefit sharing / stakeholder / communication management, Council rates and other operating expenses.