Regulators in the Australian state of Queensland have approved environmental impact statement (EIS) for the AGL Energy’s proposed 460MW Coopers Gap wind farm.
The approval by the Office of the Coordinator-General was included in a report, which will now be used by the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning in its development application assessment for the $500m project.
The project is expected to create 350 jobs during construction phase and 20 permanent jobs once entering service scheduled in 2020.
Power generated from the wind farm will be supplied through Powerlink’s existing transmission line to the network.
In addition to producing around 1,400 GWh of renewable energy, powering more than 240,000 average homes, the project is expected to contribute up to $4m to the local economy annually.
AGL managing director and CEO Andy Vesey said: “Coopers Gap wind farm would be the largest wind farm in Queensland and will provide economic as well as environmental benefits for the local region and the state.
“We are looking forward to continuing the project’s development, and to working with the local community on fine-tuning the details.”
AGL expects the Coopers Gap wind farm to be the next greenfield renewable development offered to the Powering Australian Renewables Fund (PARF).
A partnership between AGL, QIC and Future Fund, the PARF aims to develop approximately 1,000MW of large-scale renewable energy projects in the country.
State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said: “This project is a clear example of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to generating regional jobs, while acting on climate change and reducing carbon emissions.”
AGL said that the renewable energy produced by the project would reduce approximately 1,100,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually.