New wind farm proposed for Mount Gardiner north of Rockhampton
Documents have revealed plans for a new green energy hub to be located near Rockhampton which could power thousands of homes.
Central Queensland
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Central Queensland could soon have yet another wind farm to add to its portfolio of renewable energy with another cluster of wind turbines proposed north of Rockhampton.
A referral was recently lodged with the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, under the Environmental Protection and Biosecurity Diversity Act, for a green energy hub north of Rockhampton.
The referral has details for a new wind farm and battery energy storage at Mount Gardiner, southeast of Clarke Creek, with the project being called the Boomer Green Energy Hub.
The application was submitted on behalf of Ark Energy and public comment on the project is now open.
According to the referral document, the project is proposed to include 151 wind turbines which would generate up to 1150 megawatts of renewable power to the national electricity grid.
“The generation is enough to support up to 800,000 homes with renewable energy, avoiding the release of 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 per annum if this electricity were produced through fossil fuels,” the referral says.
The project area is proposed to be about 8,441.1ha in size and would be located across six leasehold and freehold lots across six leasehold and freehold lots.
“The site boundary lies within three local government areas; Rockhampton Regional Council, Livingstone Shire Council and Central Highlands Regional Council in Central Queensland,” the report says.
“The project is located in the Brigalow Belt bioregion, within the Boomer Range subregion and between Rockhampton and Middlemount.”
Key infrastructure for the project would include 151 wind turbines with a tip height of 275m, battery energy storage and grid-firming electrical infrastructure, substations and switchyard, telecommunication towers, as well as new site offices, workshops, warehouses and staff amenities
According to the referral document the project would have an operational life of about 60 years, with operational activities including monitoring the wind farm and maintenance.
The projected start date for the Wind Farm is January 2024.
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