Shortland landfill solar and battery plan includes heavy EV charging for council fleet and local operators

newy.com.au – City of Newcastle has released a proposal to turn part of the remediated Astra Street landfill at Shortland into a solar farm, battery hub and heavy-vehicle electric charging facility under a new draft climate plan, announced on Monday 15 December 2025.

The proposed Astra Street Community Energy Precinct is part of the draft Newcastle Climate Action Plan 2026–2030 (CAP 2030), which aims to cut City of Newcastle operational emissions to net zero by 2030 and support a citywide shift to net zero by 2040.

City of Newcastle said the precinct could include a 10-megawatt solar farm and a 20-megawatt Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), with charging infrastructure for council vehicles and local commercial operators and the potential for a community energy-sharing model.

The 60-hectare former landfill operated from 1974 to 1995 before the council undertook environmental remediation to safeguard surrounding wetlands, improve biodiversity and support long-term native plant growth. City of Newcastle said there was also an opportunity to expand landfill gas collection and flaring at Astra Street to generate additional carbon credits.

City of Newcastle Executive Manager Environment and Sustainability Marnie Kikken said the CAP 2030 “provides a clear, evidence-based pathway for taking action to address climate change”. “The CAP 2030 has been developed through extensive community consultation, economic modelling, best-practice research and cost-benefit analysis,” Kikken said.

Kikken said the plan’s targets aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal and cited Australia’s recent warming trends. “As our region transitions to clean energy, it’s vital everyone in our community can access affordable, reliable and renewable energy,” she said, describing council’s Energy for All program as offering support including personalised bill checks and help to access rebates.

Strategy and Innovation Strategic Advisory Committee chair Cr Declan Clausen said proposed measures in the draft included “electrifying City of Newcastle’s fleet of vehicles, trialling renewable diesel fuel, and phasing out gas installations and heating with electric power”. Clausen said the draft also proposed a target of net zero emissions from landfill gas by 2040 and increased use of recovered materials and sustainable product alternatives in council works.

City of Newcastle estimated the plan would require $42 million in capital investment over five years, with the council seeking at least 50% matched funding through grants and commercial partnerships. If fully implemented, the council estimated a return of $3.5 million to $4 million a year by 2030 through precinct income and savings linked to solar, battery storage, fuel and gas-to-electric changes.

Deputy Lord Mayor Charlotte McCabe said the council’s previous work on renewable electricity and emissions reduction would continue under a third climate action plan linked to Newcastle 2040 and the Newcastle Environment Strategy. Councillors are due to vote on placing the draft CAP 2030 on public exhibition at an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday 16 December 2025, with community feedback flagged for early 2026.