A groundbreaking solar energy proposal in Australia's Northern Territory has sparked both excitement and concern, with plans to clear an area equivalent to 25,000 Melbourne Cricket Grounds to power artificial intelligence data centres.
Unprecedented Scale for AI Power Demands
Energy company SunCable has lodged documents with the NT Environment Protection Authority revealing its ambitious plan to develop what could become Australia's largest solar farm. The project, proposed for Muckaty Station in the Barkly region, would cover approximately 50,000 hectares of land and generate up to 20GW of electricity - equivalent to ten large coal-fired power stations.
According to SunCable chief executive Ryan Willemsen-Bell, the combined Northern Territory developments offer "a compelling proposition to attract global investment in an AI datacentre precinct." The company has been in discussions with "global hyperscalers" - major cloud computing providers - over the past 18 months.
Environmental Concerns and Bilby Habitat
The scale of the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups. The Environment Centre NT (ECNT) described the project as "simply gobsmacking and possibly unparalleled in Australia, or for that matter the world."
Executive director Kirsty Howey expressed particular concern about the potential destruction of bilby habitat, noting that the development area includes critical territory for one of Australia's most iconic native animals. "We are also concerned about potential impacts on precious water resources in this arid region," she added.
SunCable has acknowledged these concerns, with a spokesperson stating the company is "committed to refining the footprint" to avoid direct impacts on occupied greater bilby sites. Further studies in consultation with traditional owners will help select smaller sites within the 50,000-hectare "area of interest."
Positioning Australia as Green AI Leader
The solar farm proposal represents a significant opportunity for Australia to establish itself in the rapidly growing field of sustainable AI infrastructure. SunCable claims the project could position Australia as a global leader in "green industrial development" and "sustainable AI infrastructure."
Willemsen-Bell emphasised that SunCable could provide off-grid infrastructure that reduces the impact of data centres "on the delicate energy balance of the national electricity market." The company aims to supply first data centre operations in the Barkly region by 2028, with capacity to scale for increasing AI infrastructure demands in subsequent years.
This development follows SunCable's recent agreement with traditional owners and the Northern Land Council for the construction of a 12,000-hectare solar farm at Powell Creek Station, south of Elliott, as part of its proposed Australia-Asia Power Link project.
However, questions remain about the actual demand for such projects. Dr Dylan McConnell, an energy systems researcher at the University of New South Wales, cautioned that "there's questions about how much of this demand for datacentres is actually going to materialise," suggesting some public discussion might be "hype."
Local communities have also raised concerns about whether the project will address energy poverty in the Barkly region, where residents face chronic energy challenges amid worsening climate change impacts.
SunCable acknowledges that "large projects attract close scrutiny" and states that the environmental assessment process is designed to gather evidence and ensure responsible design before any decisions are made.
