Hope for energy plans

Minister to rule on Tablelands wind farm

THE developer of a multimillion-dollar wind farm planned for the Tablelands hopes to start construction on the renewable energy project by early next year.

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley was due to make a decision two weeks ago about whether to green light French company Neoen’s Green Power Hub, proposed for Kaban, about 6km northeast of Ravenshoe.

The $300 million alternative energy project, which so far only has state development approval, is to include 29 wind turbines, a substation, battery storage, access tracks and cabling to generate energy for the national electricity market.

Documents lodged with the department show Ms Ley has requested yet another extension to the initial deadline, and is now expected to make that decision by tomorrow.

A Neoen spokesman said the Kaban Green Power Hub remained a very active project, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are proactively working to mitigate key risks linked to the coronavirus, and to the grid connection,” he said.

“We are hopeful that we will receive federal approval for the project within the next few weeks.

“While it is currently difficult for us to provide any precise dates for next steps, we estimate the construction would start at the beginning of 2021.”

The wind farm, if approved by the Federal Government, would be the third on the Tablelands, alongside RatchAustralia’s mega wind farm at Mt Emerald and the 20-yearold Windy Hill farm near Ravenshoe.

Its first phase of construction would include the wind farm, with secondary stages to include construction of the remainder of the site.

Chilverton Cottages, Restaurant & Day Spa owner Gwen Bradford, whose business is about 10km away from the wind farm site, said the development would be welcome in the area, but only if it boosted the local economy.

Ms Bradford also raised concerns about natural resources expended to build wind farms, in general.

“The amount of energy this is going to put back into the grid, it may not be worth it,” she said.

Neoen says its Green Power Hub will generate more than 401,100 megawatt hours of clean electricity into the national grid each year – enough power for about 87,905 homes.

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