Giant wind farm build underway

CONSTRUCTION on Australia’s largest windfarm has started.

Based around Rokewood, the first sod was turned on the Golden Plains Wind Farm last week.

State Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, got work at the site started, which will eventually include 215 turbines covering more than 16,000 hectares.

The wind farm is expected to generate nine per cent of Victoria’s electricity demand, and power more than 765,000 homes.

This means the site could effectively power all homes in regional Victoria and prevent more than 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere every year.

A statement from the State Government said the project is key to Victoria reaching a target of 95 per cent renewable energy by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2045.

The project is also expected to create 700 jobs while under construction as well as 72 permanent roles once completed.

“Victoria’s the clean energy investment capital of Australia, and this project is another example of how Victoria’s ambitious renewable energy policies are creating jobs and driving the renewables sector,” said Ms D’Ambrosio.

“Golden Plains Wind Farm is creating hundreds of local jobs and once complete is capable of generating nine per cent of Victoria’s total electricity demand.”

A 300-megavolt battery storage facility will also be built on site with the aim of helping the state reach a target of at least 2.6 gigawatts of storage capacity by 2030.

A project of West Wind Energy and TagEnergy, the wind farm is expected to cost more than $3 billion.

Construction on the project has been delayed a number of times due to legal action over environmental and residential impacts.