May 31, 2017 -- Gympie, QLD – Custom tools developed by global geospatial solutions company AAM have helped Queensland on its way to housing Australia’s largest solar farm.

Solar Q, the Queensland company developing the facility, commissioned AAM to provide foundation spatial data and develop 3D analysis tools to assess the viability and potential success of this project.

AAM’s role included:

• Capturing new LiDAR and aerial photography as foundation datasets for the basis of the analysis. The data was used to build a detailed model of the landscape and built environment – a key input to assessing the potential impact of the proposed development.
  
  
• 3D analysis tools to assess potential impact on the environment, including visual amenity of neighbouring houses.  AAM’s “glare and glint” functionality analyses the potential risks caused by the solar reflection from particular objects. The tools harness the power of AAM’s 3D GIS platform and the results visualised in GEOCIRRUS – AAM’s hosted web mapping solution.

Solar Q’s Manager Director, Scott Armstrong, says numerous environmental benefits will result from the development of the solar farm.

“Solar and battery storage is a static generation facility so it will produce minimal noise, it doesn’t emit, it doesn’t have particulates from chimney stacks, it doesn’t have ash dams…”

Construction of the solar farm will also supply 450 jobs and up to 15 per cent of south-east Queensland’s power needs upon its completion.