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Tuesday, 02 December 2008

Biggest windfarm in southern hemisphere to be built in Qld

14/08/2008 2:00:00 PM.  | AAP
Queensland's South Burnett region is set to be home to the biggest wind farm in the southern hemisphere after receiving "overwhelming" community support.

The $1.2 billion project, called the Coopers Gap Wind Farm, is predicted to generate enough power for 320,000 homes.

It's being proposed for 12,000 ha of cattle grazing country located almost midway between Kingaroy and Dalby in south-east Queensland.

International specialist banking group Investec Bank and Windlab Systems, established by the CSIRO, will lodge a development application to build 252 wind turbine generators after successful feasibility
studies and community consultations on the weekend.

An application is expected to be lodged by the end of the month.

It involves two councils; the South Burnett Regional Council and Dalby Council with up to three quarters of it falling in the South Burnett area.

Mayors of both councils said residents were largely backing the project.

South Burnett Regional Council Mayor David Carter said he had not heard one objection.

"It's a sparsely populated area so it does not affect many people," Mr Carter said.

"The properties are cattle properties so the wind farm won't change the use of the land and the landowners will get some money."

Dalby Mayor Ray Brown said landholders would get tax deductible compensation to the tune of $10,000 per turbine annually.

Richard Castellari from Investec's project development team said the company planned to build 12 wind farms across Australia and New Zealand, with Coopers Gap Wind Farm being one of three closest to fruition.

"We had overwhelming support for the project from the community and the local council, with really no objections," Mr Castellari said.

"The wind farm will cover between six and 10 properties.

"The area has really good internal wind speed, is near a transmission network, a network that distributes power, and from the fauna and flora perspective it's quite benign - there's no flora or fauna of great significance - it's cattle grazing land."

COMMENTS

Thursday, 14 August 2008

Wow, Lucky landowners over that side of the shire. Meanwhile we have to put up with dirty noisy Gas and Coal miners, chopped up roads at land owners expense and Ray Brown ducking and weaving to make it sound as though he cares while doing nothing. He didn't even turn up at a meeting in Dalby last week to address our concerns. Still it's good to see renewable energy getting a boost in Queensland, maybe we can stop being the worlds dirty coal mine.

Posted by: Graeme Henderson, Darling Downs

 

Friday, 15 August 2008

Now lets get planning for the next one. >:)

Posted by: Nick Again, Maryborough

 

Wednesday, 20 August 2008

Just when is that Kevin Rudd & Wayne Swan will be actually moving back to their home state?

Posted by: George Brandis, Sydney

 
 

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