Lotus Creek Wind Farm receives approval by Federal Government

A wind farm project has received the tick of approval to be built north of Rockhampton. Find out the details of the project here.

An outline of the Lotus Creek Wind Farm.

Central Queensland will soon be home to another wind farm, with a project getting the green light.

The Lotus Creek Wind Farm received approval from the Federal Government at the end of October, with conditions under the Environmental Protection and Biosecurity Conservation Act published this week.

The wind farm will be constructed on the Nebo-Connors Range 175 km north-west of Rockhampton.

This site has a long history of cattle grazing.

The project will consist of 55 wind turbines, with a capacity to product seven megawatts of energy each.

According to the proposal document, the wind farm would be able to generate 1.7 million megawatt hours of renewable energy per year, equivalent to supplying power to 305,000 homes.

Once complete, the wind farm will supply energy directly into the national power grid.

According to the proposal document the construction phase of the wind farm will take about 24 months with up to 350 staff to be employed during the peak construction period.

Once complete the wind farm is expected to have an operational life of 30 years.

A spokeswoman for Ark Energy said across the next 25+ years the project would generate between 15 and 30 long-term jobs for locals.

“During the two year construction period the project is expected to generate 250-350 jobs on site, we aim to use local workforce wherever possible,” she said.

“The project is expected to generate approximately $200 million in local expenditure.”

Under the conditions the approval holder, Lotus Creek Wind Farm Pty Ltd, must not clear or undertake any construction activities outside the development footprint.

“Central Queensland has an excellent wind energy resource,” the spokeswoman said.

“Renewable energy is the cheapest source of energy and more is urgently needed to reduce carbon emissions, replace fossil fuel sources of energy and meet growing energy demand.

“The Australian Energy Market Operator through its Integrated System Plan predicts that Australia will require nine-times the variable utility-scale renewable energy we have now by 2050, with 50 GW of that predicted to come from Queensland.

“Projects like Lotus Creek are critical in meeting these targets which require harnessing Queensland’s considerable renewable energy potential as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

The conditions also state no more than 55 wind turbines can be constructed within the development site.

The conditions further state the approval holder cannot clear more than 399.1 hectares of land to minimise the impacts of threatened species such as koalas, squatter pigeons and greater gliders.

The Lotus Creek Wind Farm will join the Clarke Creek Wind Farm and the proposed Mount Hopeful Wind Farm in helping the Queensland Government achieve its target of 50 per cent renewable energy generation by 2030.

Construction of the wind farm is expected to begin in 2023.