Fortescue plans to develop 10GW of wind and solar at Hughenden
The state government says a renewable energy ‘super hub’ means thousands of jobs and huge investment for the North.
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Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment are being promised from a renewable energy “super hub” to be developed near Hughenden about 400km west of Townsville.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the plans alongside executives from iron ore billionaire Andrew Forest’s Fortescue Future Industries in Townsville on Monday.
The state is developing a government-led model to build a transmission line to connect Hughenden with the state’s electricity grid at Townsville, while Fortescue is planning to build the solar and wind projects to generate renewable energy.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the super hub would produce 10 gigawatts of electricity — almost half the state’s entire renewable energy capacity predicted under their energy and jobs plan.
Ms Palaszczuk said it was fantastic news for the local economy.
“We will build a super grid from Townsville to Hughenden. This will mean billions of dollars of investment. It means thousands and thousands of jobs,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Mr Miles said North Queensland was blessed with world-leading renewable resources.
“We are determined to use all of this energy to create jobs here and then to export it to the world through hydrogen and that is Fortescue Future Industries’ plan,” Mr Miles said.
Fortescue director, Australia East and New Zealand, Felicity Underhill said solar and wind projects near Hughenden would help decarbonise Queensland’s electricity sector and provide the energy needed to produce green hydrogen.
The hydrogen would help decarbonise Australia’s transport industry and that of other countries’ around the world, she said.
Ms Underhill said the first projects — an 800MW Prairie Wind Farm and a 1GW Wongalee project about 10km west of Hughenden — were in detailed planning.
Development applications would be submitted “shortly”.
Subject to approvals, construction is expected to commence in 2025 with the projects producing power by 2027.
“Not only will it be delivering on the Queensland Government’s bold energy and jobs plan but accelerating it,” Ms Underhill said.
FFI will partner with its wind developer Windlab which already operates a $160m Kennedy Energy Park near Hughenden, a world-first hybrid wind, solar and battery storage facility.
Windlab CEO John Martin said Windlab had spent 10 years building a deep understanding of the region’s renewable energy resources and developing relationships with stakeholders.
“The North Queensland Super Hub presents a high-yield, complementary wind and solar resource in a region ideally suited for multiple offtake opportunities, while being compatible with the existing land use,” Mr Martin said.
“This facility marks a big step towards realising our strategic, scalable development plan that leverages the region’s untapped renewable energy base to transform Australia’s electricity market and drive the nation’s clean energy transition.”
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Originally published as Fortescue plans to develop 10GW of wind and solar at Hughenden
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