Environmental approval for the MacIntyre Wind Farm has been granted paving the way for ACCIONA Energía’s largest wind farm in Australia to begin construction in the second quarter of 2022.
The site, which will be 70 per cent owned by ACCIONA Energía and 30 per cent owned by Ark Energy, marks a major milestone in Queensland’s ambition to achieve a 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.
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The MacIntyre Wind Farm will be located in Queensland’s Southern Downs, 60kms west of Warwick. Consisting of 162 wind turbines the site will be built, owned and operated by ACCIONA Energía.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm’s turbines will generate 923MW of renewable electricity annually offsetting 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
ACCIONA Energía managing director Brett Wickham said the project would deliver reliable and sustainable energy to the grid helping to achieve renewable energy targets.
“MacIntyre will demonstrate that large scale renewable energy projects are not only efficient, but they are also effective at delivering reliable and clean electricity into the grid,” Wickham said.
The site will bring $1.7 billion worth of investment into Queensland creating over 350 jobs throughout the construction and operations phases. When completed the project will be capable of providing enough power to meet the energy needs of 620,000 homes.
The area chosen for the project was selected because of its strong and consistent wind resource, its proximity to a connection point to the power grid and the positive reception the proposal received from landowners and the broader local community.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm will be constructed with a comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (EMP) that will ensure environmental impacts are managed in accordance with State and Federal requirements, using best practices. The EMP sets out clear commitments to minimise the project’s environmental footprint with as little impact on local flora and fauna as possible.
“Everyone involved in the MacIntyre Wind Farm takes our environmental responsibilities very seriously,” Wickham said.
“It’s important that these renewable energy projects are built. But it’s equally important that we do it in an environmentally sustainable way.”
As part of ACCIONA Energía’s ‘build, own and operate’ business model, generous community grants and scholarships are also available to local residents as part of the company’s community giving program.
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“When we develop a project in a region, we become part of its community for 30 years and we want to give back to those that support us,” Wickham said.
“Already we’ve proudly given more than $330,000 to the local community and we’ve been overwhelmed by the level of support the project has received so far.”
