With nearly two decades in traditional power and an impressive track record in solar, Andrea Tighe has continually broken new ground in the energy sector. As the first dual-qualified female Electrician and Powerline Worker in her field, Andrea has built a career defined by dedication, technical skill and a drive to lead. Now, she brings her extensive expertise to SAMCo as the Site Lead for Kidston Solar Farm. 

“My career journey started at 17 as an apprentice at Mount Isa Mines,” Andrea shares. “After completing my apprenticeship, I spent another three years there as a tradie, learning the ropes.”

From there, Andrea’s career took her through a series of roles in traditional energy, leading her to join Country Energy (later known as Essential Energy) in 2003. In this role, she handled everything from inspections and new connections to network faults, hot water investigations and meter replacements.

And it was here that Andrea achieved one of her career highlights. “I became Essential Energy’s first dual-qualified female Electrician and Powerline Worker in 2006,” she says. “It was a huge milestone, and I used those skills daily until I left the industry in 2015.”

Shifting to solar

In 2015, Andrea saw a new opportunity in renewables. She joined Moree Solar Farm as a Team Leader and Electrician, drawn to the potential of solar energy as a sustainable power source. 

“Moving into renewables felt like getting in on the ground floor of something big. The solar sector was just beginning to take off, and I wanted to be part of that growth from the start,” she says.

This transition to the solar industry marked the beginning of her long-standing dedication to renewables. In 2017, she joined ENcome Energy Performance as the company’s first site electrician, where she managed a single 11 MW asset. Her contributions helped expand the company’s footprint, which now oversees 13 assets across Australia.

“In my time there, I held multiple roles, from Technical Services Manager to Compliance and Operations Manager,” she recalls. “I gained insights into nearly every aspect of solar operations.”

After years of experience in the solar industry, Andrea was drawn to SAMCo by its supportive and well-resourced work environment.

“SAMCo is a young player in the O&M (Operations & Maintenance) market, and joining them felt like an opportunity to grow with the company and support its foundational years,” she says. 

SAMCo’s emphasis on safety and resource allocation was also a big draw.

“SAMCo provides great training and has exceptional safety systems in place for its workers, which our clients fully endorse,” Andrea explains. 

Her role as Site Lead at Kidston Solar Farm involves ensuring the farm operates at peak efficiency while meeting strict contractual obligations. 

“I bring nine years of hands-on experience and a thorough understanding of grid-scale solar inverters, tracking systems and maintenance protocols to this role,” she says.

Andrea’s responsibilities at Kidston extend beyond routine maintenance, with the goal to achieve contractual availability of 99%, which means “carefully scheduling OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) maintenance tasks to avoid impacting generation or voiding warranties.” This also involves adhering to strict reaction times for corrective maintenance set out in the contract.

Vegetation management is another key focus, ensuring the land complies with the environmental management plan and fire break requirements while avoiding shading issues that can reduce energy output.

“Given that SAMCo doesn’t yet have a monitoring centre, I monitor string currents and inverter outputs throughout the day,” Andrea explains. “This allows us to detect and react to anomalies in real time or schedule investigations and repairs. At a smaller site like Kidston, underperforming strings or tracker failures can significantly impact the farm’s output, so staying proactive is essential.”

Part of the larger Kidston Clean Energy Hub, the solar farm is built on the site of a former gold mine, repurposing the land to contribute to Australia’s sustainable energy future. With a generation capacity of 50 MW, Kidston Solar Farm supplies clean, renewable power to the grid, supporting Queensland’s transition to green energy and reducing carbon emissions. Andrea’s role is critical in ensuring that the farm operates efficiently, safely and in alignment with both industry standards and environmental goals. 

Andrea is also inspired by the direction of the renewable energy sector, particularly the advancements that help improve safety and operational efficiency. 

“I think asset managers and owners are becoming more educated on the legislative requirements for solar operations,” she observes. “The industry is working closely with entities like the ESO and WorkSafe to ensure that knowledge continues to expand.”

With her experience and drive, Andrea is well-positioned to lead SAMCo’s efforts at Kidston Solar Farm, contributing to the growth of the renewable sector in Queensland and beyond.