Wambo Wind Farm: Ground broken on major new renewables project
The Darling Downs continues to cement itself as a renewable energy powerhouse, as ground breaks on a major new project that could eventually power entire cities.
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A renewable energy project poised to produce enough electricity to power every home in Toowoomba has broken ground in southwest Queensland.
The Wambo Wind Farm near Jandowae in the Western Downs will host 42 wind turbines and produce 252 megawatts of energy when it is up and running.
This project is a private-public joint venture between the Stanwell Corporation, which is owned by the state government, and Cubico Sustainable Investments.
It is expected to create 450 jobs during construction, and power from the turbines will be sent to what has been dubbed the “Queensland SuperGrid” in 2025.
The turbines will then be connected to a proposed pumped hydro project at Borumba near the Sunshine Coast in 2032.
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni, who visited the site on Thursday as construction commenced, said the project helped the state government achieve its 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.
Cubico’s David Smith said the project was a “real landmark” in the state’s transition to renewables.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of providing a transition to renewables for energy workers,” he said.
Stanwell’s 50 per cent share in the Wambo Wind Farm comes from a $192.5m investment sourced from the state government’s Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund.
The region has come a long way when it comes to renewables.
Situated close by is the Coopers Gap Wind Farm, which was eventually built in 2020 after more than a decade of controversy.
Work is also continuing on the MacIntyre Wind Farm in the Southern Downs, which will be the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere when it is complete.
That project has also not escaped controversy, with one of the state’s most powerful union’s claiming a series of safety violations on the site.
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Originally published as Wambo Wind Farm: Ground broken on major new renewables project
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