Acciona Energía has received environmental approval for the 932MW MacIntyre Wind Farm, which will be the developer’s largest wind farm in Australia.
Due to begin construction in Q2 2022, the site will be 70% owned by Acciona and 30% owned by Ark Energy, marks a major milestone in Queensland’s ambition to achieve a 50% renewable energy target by 2030.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm will be located in Queensland’s Southern Downs, 60KM west of Warwick.
Consisting of 162 wind turbines, the site will be built, owned and operated by Acciona.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm’s turbines will generate 923MW of renewable electricity annually offsetting 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
Acciona Energía managing director Brett Wickham said that the project will deliver reliable and sustainable energy to the grid helping to achieve renewable energy targets.
He said: “MacIntyre will demonstrate that large scale renewable energy projects are not only efficient, but they are also effective at delivering reliable and clean electricity into the grid.”
The site is expected to bring AUD$1.7bn (€1.1bn) worth of investment into Queensland creating over 350 jobs throughout the construction and operations phases.
When completed the project will be capable of providing enough power to meet the energy needs of 620,000 homes.
The area chosen for the project was selected because of its strong and consistent wind resource, its proximity to a connection point to the power grid and the positive reception the proposal received from landowners and the broader local community.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm will be constructed with a comprehensive environmental management plan (EMP) that will ensure environmental impacts are managed in accordance with State and Federal requirements, using best practices, Acciona said.
The EMP sets out clear commitments to minimise the project’s environmental footprint with as little impact on local flora and fauna as possible.
Wickham said: “Everyone involved in the MacIntyre Wind Farm takes our environmental responsibilities very seriously.
“It’s important that these renewable energy projects are built. But it’s equally important that we do it in an environmentally sustainable way.”
As part of Acciona Energía’s “build, own and operate” business model, generous community grants and scholarships are also available to local residents as part of the company’s community giving programme, the developer said.
Wickham added: “When we develop a project in a region, we become part of its community for 30 years and we want to give back to those that support us.
“Already we’ve proudly given more than $330,000 to the local community and we’ve been overwhelmed by the level of support the project has received so far.”