Brookfield-backed 450MW wind and big battery project gain first approvals under LNP government

An up to 450 megawatt wind farm and an accompanying big battery project being proposed for development in Queensland’s Rockhampton region has won planning approval – the first to be issued since the election of the newly installed state LNP government in October.

The Moonlight Range wind farm is being co-developed on farmland in Morinish South by Australian outfit Greenleaf Renewables and the renewable energy arm of Canadian investment giant Brookfield Asset Management.

The two companies entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) for the up to 88 turbine project in April of last year, in the midst of Brookfield’s unsuccessful bid to acquire Origin Energy.

The Melbourne-based Greenleaf still owns the Moonlight Range wind farm but, under the terms of the JDA, Brookfield will acquire the project once all approvals – including the remaining green tick from the federal government – are secured.

Having won approval from Queensland’s State Assessment and Referral Agency, the project now awaits approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, after it was ruled a “controlled action” by the federal environment minister in late 2023.

Greenleaf says that, if approved, the wind farm will be up to 450MW, pending a final decision on the size and make of the turbines. The size of the project’s big battery is also yet to be determined.

The project, located 40km west of Rockhampton, will cover a project area of approximately 20,000 hectares of land and is proposed to connect to the existing on site 275 kV transmission network.

Greenleaf director Chris Righetti says the wind farm’s Queensland government green tick also represents a significant milestone for the renewables sector, being the first to be approved under the updated version of State Code 23.

“Whilst there is more work to do on achieving project approvals, we are very pleased with SARA’s decision to approve the Moonlight Range Wind Farm & BESS project,” Righetti said on Tuesday.

“This approval milestone represents a significant step forward for the project, which will contribute positively to the regional economy, the Queensland government’s renewable energy targets of 80% by 2035.”

For Brookfield, the Moonlight Range wind farm JDA market the asset manager’s first foray into renewables in Australia – and, at the time, made a start on the 14 gigawatts (GW) of wind, solar and storage it had pledged to build for Origin in its bid to woo the gentailer’s shareholders.

Brookfield has since moved on from its failed Origin bid by launching an agreed $10.2 billion offer for Neoen, the French company that has become the most successful and biggest developer of renewable and storage assets in Australia.

Greenleaf is also co-developing the 166MW Stony Creek Wind Farm, also in Queensland, which is now owned by Spain’s Enerfin. The company has two further renewable energy projects in the pipeline in the Sunshine State, with a total planned capacity of around 1500 MW.

Greenleaf says that following development approval for Moonlight Range, it will turn its attention to the establishment of a Community Benefits Framework to deliver “meaningful and lasting value” to the region.

The company says early engagement with the local community has included efforts to connect with local farmers, traditional custodians, and nearby residents to ensure the project aligns with community priorities and values.