New wind farm in North Queensland to power 240,000 homes

The Albanese Government has approved another new wind farm in Queensland which will generate enough energy to power 240,000 Queensland homes.

The 400 megawatt Gawara Baya Wind Farm is located 65km southwest of Ingham, Queensland and includes the installation of 69 wind turbines.

This is another big step in the Government’s plan to make Australia a renewable energy superpower. 

The project is expected to increase wind generation in the National Electricity Market by 5.2 per cent, and overall renewable generation by 1.8 per cent.

Australians saw how a decade of political fights stopped action on climate change.

Under the Liberals and Nationals, 24 coal fired power plants with a total capacity of 26.7 GW announced their closure dates, but the previous government failed to deliver any policy to ensure replacement energy capacity.

At the last election, Australians voted for progress on renewables. That’s exactly what Labor is delivering.

The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which is equivalent to taking around 375,000 cars off the road each year.

We know projects like this are vital to boosting renewables capacity and putting downward pressure on prices, but they are also great for local jobs and economies. This project will support up to 300 direct jobs in construction and up to 20 operational ongoing jobs.

The approval of the wind farm is subject to strict conditions to protect the Sharman’s Rock-Wallaby and northern Greater Glider, and follows a rigorous assessment process. 

The conditions include clearance limits, hours of operation during construction, and submission of environmental management plans which will set out how any impacts will be managed, mitigated, avoided or offset.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:

“The Coalition has spent a decade trying to kill off renewables and our transition to net zero. Australians voted for an end to that and we are delivering. Labor is transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower while Peter Dutton wants to send us back decades.

“I’ve ticked off a record 54 renewable energy projects - more than the Abbott and Turnbull Governments combined and enough to power more than three million Australian homes. 

“While Peter Dutton and the Coalition are watering down our climate targets, Labor is getting on with the job of the renewable energy transition.

“Not only are we delivering cheaper cleaner power sooner, but we are on track to reaching our 2030 emissions target. It’s achievable, and we’re doing it.”