$200m wind farm planned for Shannon’s flat

Energy Matters0

 

Managing director Gerry McGowan says regulatory approvals could take two years at a cost of about $2 million.

But he says the construction of 20 turbines would only take about six months.

Mr McGowan says the project has a lot of potential.

“We have a belief that the New South Wales grid is conducive to more renewables being placed on it,” he said.

“We think that whilst a lot of wind had been going into places like Tasmania and South Australia, we think New South Wales over the next few years will develop good wind sites and good wind resources.

“We’ve got a grid that can cope with the introduction of wind power into it.”

The company is expected to lodge the first part of a staged development application with the New South Wales Planning Department soon.

“It’s going to be submitted in a series of applications because there are environmental issues and forestry issues, so that will take place over a couple of years,” Mr McGowan said.

“With any wind farm you need to do a certain amount of clearing around the site. The site is fairly clear but we’ll be applying for a small amount of tree removal if we can.

“If not, it’s not totally necessary for this particular site but it will get the output of the site up if we can remove some trees and replace them elsewhere.”

CBD Energy – whose chairman is former deputy prime minister Mark Vaile – is also involved in wind farm projects in New Zealand and is working with Hydro Tasmania on a solar development on King Island.