MACINTYRE Wind Precinct has been heralded as the start of a golden age of renewable energy in Australia.
Speaking at the official sod turning ceremony on the massive site 60km west of Warwick, Acciona Energa managing director Brett Wickham said the $2 billion MacIntyre Wind Precinct was the largest wind farm to ever be built in Australia and one of the largest in the southern hemisphere.
MacIntyre boasts 180 turbines that will produce 1026MW of clean, renewable wind energy.
When complete in an expected two and a half years, the precinct will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 700,000 homes a year.
"MacIntyre is the largest project Acciona Energa has undertaken anywhere in the world and will be our flagship development for many years to come," Mr Wickham said.
"The precinct demonstrates that large scale renewable energy projects can create hundreds of jobs, bring in billions of new investment and create new economic foundations in regional towns."
The precinct is expected to create more than 450 jobs during construction with an additional 220 jobs with Powerlink to build the transmission infrastructure.
Once in operation in 2024 the precinct will employ 15 staff to maintain the site.
In addition, the precinct is also expected to source $500 million in work from Queensland suppliers further fuelling regional businesses.
"Australia has such an abundance of renewable energy resources.
"All across the country, projects like MacIntyre can harness and capitalise on this opportunity to realise a new golden age."
"Large scale renewable projects lay new foundations that support larger local economies and create new employment opportunities for those living in the area."
The MacIntyre Wind Precinct consists of two wind farms. The 18 turbine Karara Wind Farm owned and operated by Queensland state owned enterprise CleanCo and the 162 turbine MacIntyre Wind Farm that will be owned and operated by Acciona Energia.
Energy and Renewables Minister Mick de Brenni said the precinct was a signal to global investors that Queensland is ready to support low emissions, job creating industry, onshore.
"With its high-quality wind resources, the Southern Downs QREZ west of Warwick is an ideal location to support continued expansion of energy intensive industry in SEQ," Mr de Brenni said.
"As well as the 400 wind farm construction and 220 transmission connection jobs, the zero emissions MacIntyre Wind Farm power will fuel decent, secure jobs in energy intensive industries, in particular nearby manufacturing."
CleanCo chair Jacqui Walters said the MacIntyre Precinct would help CleanCo to deliver reliable, clean energy solutions at a competitive price moving into a net zero future.
Queensland based Ark Energy is a co-investor in the MacIntyre Wind Farm. That electricity will be used to produce "green" zinc.
The MacIntyre Precinct is also supporting the Queensland Government's ambitions for 50pc of its energy needs to come from renewable sources by 2030.
- Disclaimer: Mark Phelps has land within the MacIntyre Wind Precinct.
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