Both organisations have played pivotal roles with Repower Shoalhaven and Melbourne based energy retailer Flow Power in establishing the $5 million project which will generate more than 6000 megawatts of clean energy a year.

The 10-hectare, 8000 solar panel project, is just off BTU Road on land Repower Shoalhaven has leased from Shoalhaven Council for 30 years.

The City of Sydney has already agreed to purchase 20 per cent of the project's output and by doing so has already achieved its 2030 emissions target.

"The City of Sydney made a commitment to purchase 100 per cent renewable electricity and by entering into this project we've actually achieved our 2030 emissions target nine years early," Ms Barone said.

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"We've purchased a large amount of the power, the renewable electricity that will come off the site and by doing that it has enabled the project to go ahead as it has the secure anchor customer.

"But what's really important about this project is when we went out to tender we hoped we could invest in a project that supported a community initiative."

She said the city's investment had allowed "a project financed by community investors and a community initiative to get out of the ground".

"We got some fantastic benefits - a relationship with Shoalhaven Council here, a relationship with the community here and the 100 per cent renewable electricity we needed to power our organisation," she said.

"We have undertaken a number of other projects to reduce our emission reductions - building efficiency, LED streets lights, electric vehicles, solar panels on our own facilities, but everyone is eventually going to have to make up the rest by buying renewable electricity.

"We were waiting for the opportunity, this one arose and we were able to get in as an anchor customer.

"We have been able to reduce our emissions target nine years ahead of schedule and that's directly linked to the solar farm project."

Having toured the site she said it was "magnificent".

"I'm so excited to be here and so proud to be associated with the project," she said.

"The real champions here are the Repower Shoalhaven Group and Shoalhaven Council - they are the people who made this happen, by leasing the land, raising the finance, engaging and doing all the hard work behind the scenes.

"They are the champions and have allowed us in the city to have a supply of renewable electricity."

After touring the facility, Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley admitted to not being able to wipe the smile of her face.

"I've got a smile from ear to ear and my face is going to be aching for days," she said.

"It's so wonderful to be standing on the site of the Shoalhaven's first, of hopefully many, great solar farm projects.

"This is fast technology, clean technology and it's available now and we can really replicate it across the Shoalhaven."

Repower Shoalhaven has paid a 30-year lease to council for the site, with that money going back into council's "renewable coffers".

"It's really exciting - we created the Renewable Energy Fund and this is a $230,000 leg up for the next solar panel project we do with council," Cr Findley said.

"Council has been rolling out a number of renewable projects over the past couple of years. Aggressively so, especially with Shoalhaven Water, which has seen council win numerous awards in recognition of the work it is doing.

"It really is a feather in our cap."

Cr Findley said being able to repurpose what was virtually "unusable land" was also a win-win for the community.

"These odd blocks of lands that are sitting around, old tip sites, even current tips sites that have been capped - if we can take those sites and turn them into something so useful for the future that is an absolute win for the community in so many ways," she said.

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