The new AU$350m (£188m) wind farm is expected to produce most of its power at night from its site on the Banana Range, an area known for its strong overnight winds. The site will be home to 50 turbines.
Minister for planning Cameron Dick said the new wind farm will boost the total capacity of wind generation approved by the Queensland Government to 2,240MW, enough to power over one million homes.
“The government strongly supports investment in regional projects and the Banana Range wind farm, located 20 km west of Biloela, will provide a huge boost for the local economy,” he said. “With up to 150 construction jobs and up to 15 ongoing jobs, the Banana Range Wind Farm will not only generate electricity for homes and businesses but will be an economic energy source for the surrounding region.
“Besides the great environmental benefits for Queensland, investment in projects such as this also creates a flow-on economic effect for local businesses and assists in diversifying the town’s economy. The Banana Range wind farm will generate around 180 megawatts at capacity, which will power around 120,000 homes, around five times the number of houses in Gladstone.”
Construction will begin in 2020 and will take approximately 24 months to complete. The project is being undertaken by Orange Creek Energy, a subsidiary renewable energy company of Lacour Energy.
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