Tilt gets nod for revised Palmer Wind Farm in South Australia

wind turbines against golden sky with wild grass in the foreground (aula energy)
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South Australia’s State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) has approved the revised design for Tilt Renewables’ 288MW Palmer Wind Farm.

To be located 50km east of Adelaide, the revised design will involve the construction of 40 wind turbines with a maximum tip height of up to 220m.

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Tilt Renewables CEO Anthony Fowler said Palmer Wind Farm was ideally located to take advantage of a strong and consistent wind resource.

“Palmer Wind Farm will help secure the reliability of the electricity grid while reducing Australia’s carbon footprint,” Fowler said.

“The area surrounding Palmer is a good location for a wind farm with a great wind resource, proximity to the existing electricity grid and a location on cleared farmland where grazing can co-exist.”

Fowler said that Tilt Renewables had made significant improvements to the design of the project since it was first approved in 2015. He added that the Federal Environment Department reviewed the project and was confident that potential impacts to Matters of National Environmental Significance had been avoided and minimised.

“Recent advances in turbine technology mean we can significantly reduce the project area with fewer, taller turbines and bigger setbacks from existing dwellings,” he said.

“This change more than halves the number of turbines required and reduces the project area by over 5,000 hectares.”

The project is located on the land of the Peramangk people and will provide employment, training, and capacity building opportunities for First Nations people. A Peramangk Partnership Fund will also be established for the life of the project.

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In 2024, the project was awarded a Capacity Investment Scheme agreement, an Australian Government revenue underwriting scheme.

“The competitive tender process required Tilt Renewables to demonstrate we will provide best practice social and economic benefits for local communities, First Nations people, and Australian industries,” Fowler said.

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