Australia has 5GW of wind capacity currently under construction or financially committed, according to the country’s Clean Energy Council (CEC).
The CEC, which is a not-for-profit membership-based organisation, said there is a pipeline of 28 large-scale wind farms that will create about 4200 jobs during peak construction.
In 2019, 837MW of new capacity was added representing eight projects, the council said.
It added that last year was the first time that wind energy overtook hydro as Australia’s leading clean energy source, accounting for more than 35% of the country’s renewable energy generation.
Wind now contributes 8.5% of Australia’s total energy generation – a figure that’s doubled since 2014, CEC said.
It said that wind energy has illustrated substantial direct and indirect financial benefits to regional and rural Australia, contributing to the social fabric of local communities and diversifying traditional agricultural economies.
By the end of 2021, it’s estimated that A$5m (€3m) will flow annually into regional and rural communities through community enhancement funds alone.
CEC chief executive Kane Thornton said that the continued investment in wind energy should be encouraged as Australia emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Wind energy presents an enormous opportunity for Australia as we transition from carbon-emitting fossil fuels,” she said.
Thornton added: “Over the last decade, we’ve seen South Australia transform itself by dumping coal, embracing wind as part of its energy mix and setting the standard in terms of what can be achieved.
“There’s undoubtedly more that can be done with the right transmission line infrastructure investment.
“Now, we see Western Australia taking up the challenge and harnessing its clean energy resources with wind.”