Lightsource BP hosted two community drop-in sessions at the city's CWA rooms on Monday and Tuesday, March 25 and 26. They were gathering feedback about the company's proposed $540 million state significant 400 megawatt Gundary solar farm, planned for a 632 hectare site off Windellama and Kooringaroo Roads, southeast of Goulburn.

Outside, members of the Save Gundary Plains action group mounted signs urging the company to 'bugger off' and accusing them of being 'renewable energy cowboys' and 'deniers.' It has campaigned against the scale, its location on "prime agricultural land," and perceived visual, amenity, biodiversity and environmental effects.

"I don't want the landscape destroyed," opponent Jeannie Shirley said.

"It's environmental destruction of the landscape and they're getting away with it because of slack government laws that haven't kept in front of this."

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Asked about the group's claims, development director Nick Robb said all solar farms and large-scale renewable energy projects would have impacts but these would be assessed throughout the EIS and by the state government.

"It's important to to engage with everyone on their view and what they understand to be the impacts," he said.

Senior development manager, Shane Quinnell said the company was "intent on a high level of community engagement" and had altered design of the approximate 700,000-panel project in response.

These included removal of 50ha of solar panels in the northwestern aspect and relocation of the battery energy storage system to the east, "reducing noise and visual impacts".

Solar panels had also been reduced from five to three metres at their highest edge. Panels had been adjusted to lessen impacts on eucalypts on a small section of land and barriers implemented around noisy equipment.

In addition, two 40,000 litre water tanks were included in response to bushfire protection concerns and a secondary emergency access of Kooringaroo Road factored into plans.

Mr Robb said technical assessments on aspects such as social, economic and environmental impacts were being finalised as part of the environmental impact statement. He hoped this would be lodged with state planners in the next two months.

Detailed designs and more specific management plans, such as for biodiversity, would take place after conditional approval, if forthcoming.

Some opponents have rejected the company's claims that farming could co-exist with the solar farm.

But Mr Robb said 1200 sheep grazed at Lightsource BP's Wellington solar farm.

"It's a great use for this (Gundary) project and we're keen to give that work to local graziers," he said.

"We are also looking at other agrivoltaics."

Mr Robb cited chicken farms, biodiversity farming and cropping as activities undertaken globally. He said he'd spoken to local groups about the possibilities.

He could not give a guarantee that the solar farm wouldn't be sold in future. In December 2023, Lightsource BP sold five of its solar projects to Beijing Energy for $813 million.

"The intent and company structure is to develop, own and operate and at times we do divest assets," he said.

"...The business is looking to invest heavily and sometimes we look for equity to come back in. It's the dynamics of the business."

Mr Robb said Lightsource BP wanted to develop low-cost, safe and reliable energy but also work with the community to manage impacts.

Mr Quinnell told The Post that the Gundary solar farm would be capable of powering 133,000 homes, equivalent to 75 per cent of the ACT, for 40 plus years.

"That's a huge amount of green energy. We are looking at solar being the (cheapest) form of energy currently, which reduces the cost of living," he said.

"We really want community feedback. It is directly changing the way we do things."

The company is expecting a decision on the development in early 2025.