RES, Energy Estate report progress on 372-MW Queensland wind project

September 21 (Renewables Now) - A joint venture between RES Australia and Energy Estate Pty Ltd announced today it has reached a couple of key development milestones in relation to its up-to-372-MW Moah Creek Wind Farm project in the state of Queensland.

The JV, called Central Queensland Power (CQP), has received the planning approval of the Queensland State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA), thus securing consent for the construction of the wind farm and the associated vegetation clearing. According to the developer, the project has been designed to minimise native vegetation clearing to the greatest extent possible.

At the same time, CQP has referred the project to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for review under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The assessment will be followed by a public comment period during which concerns as to the project’s impact on the environment could be expressed.

If the process is successful for the developer, construction could begin in the second quarter of 2025. The total investment in the up-to-60-turbine scheme is estimated at about AUD 1 billion (USD 644m/EUR 600m).