Work on the 7.5 megawatt facility on 17ha on Cosgrove-Canimabo Rd is expected to start within the next few months, generating some employment for contractors working on the site.
A neighbour had appealed the granting of a permit to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal but the parties reached a negotiated settlement before an adjudication was required.
The site will get more screening vegetation and the solar arrays will have a lower profile.
Bison Energy business development director Brendan Murphy said the project could be completed early next year.
They have engaged regional electrical company Watters to do some of the work, and will be buying trees and shrubs from Billabong Nursery in Shepparton.
“We wanted to involve a community, not-for-profit group in the project, so we expect to require about 1000 trees,” Mr Murphy said.
Bison Energy has signed an agreement with energy distribution company Powercor.
The Cosgrove project is expected to provide the equivalent energy to that consumed by about 1930 homes in a year and will save 11,700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Objectors had expressed their concern about the loss of agricultural land and the potential for glare to impact people working on the neighbouring farm slopes.
Bison Energy is also expected to start work in the next 12 months on a solar farm near Finley, following development approval.
With a target capacity of 4.95 megawatts, the project will use solar photovoltaic technology with sun trackers and ancillary equipment to power more than 1900 homes for 30 years.
The project will connect to Essential Energy's 22kV line which passes through the 16.5ha site on Broughans Rd, Finley.
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