CleanCo lines up another major wind farm as Queensland pushes renewable legislation

Plans to develop an up to 372MW wind farm west of Rockhampton in central Queensland have won valuable state government backing, with publicly owned utility CleanCo taking a stake in the project.

Queensland’s Palaszczuk government on Tuesday announced CleanCo’s investment in the Moah Creek wind farm, which is being developed by RES and Energy Estate through a joint venture called Central Queensland Power (CQP).

The undisclosed stake in the $1 billion project is CleanCo’s first dip into the $500 million funding pool it was given by the state government in June, to help develop up to 2.3GW of new large-scale wind and solar, with the focus on the state’s central region.

The state government said on Tuesday that Moah Creek is just the first renewables project to be progressed through an “innovative partnership” between CleanCo and CQP.

Once development of the wind farm is complete, it will transition to full public ownership.

CleanCo CEO Tom Metcalfe says Moah Creek will add significant capacity to the gen-tailer’s portfolio of tailored clean energy solutions.

“CleanCo is committed to working with CQP to ensure this critical project is delivered in collaboration with the local community,” Metcalfe said on Tuesday.

“We recognise our responsibility to get this right for all stakeholders, to ensure maximum economic value flows to regional Queensland, while protecting the environment.”

Moah Creek was in the news just over a month ago, when it cleared state planning approvals. The up to 60 turbine project – which now needs to clear federal environmental approvals – is part of a suite of projects being developed in the region by CQP.

The portfolio so far includes six large strategically located wind, solar and battery storage projects with a combined capacity of more than 4GW in the Fitzroy Renewable Energy Zone.

This is twice the size of the 2GW renewables hub that was reported two years ago as a bold pitch to supply heavy industry in the region, including the Boyne aluminium smelter.

Previously, the Moah Creek wind farm had proposed combine 400MW of wind, 200MW of solar and a 300MW big battery. It is now proposing an up 372MW wind farm, with battery storage “to be confirmed,” according to the project site.

The milestone move by CleanCo coincides with the news that the Palaszczuk government is making good its promise to legislate its renewable energy targets, with the introduction of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Bill into parliament.

State energy minister Mick de Brenni announced the news on LinkedIn on Tuesday, saying it would “enshrine our renewable energy targets, public ownership and job security guarantee in law.”

Queensland – the country’s most coal dependent state – will lock in its multiple renewable energy targets, starting with 50 per cent by 2030, 70 per cent by 2032 and 80 per cent by 2035.

To meet these targets, the Palaszczuk government has said it expects to build 22GW of new wind and solar, and another 12GW of batteries and pumped hydro, by 2035, creating 100,000 jobs along the way.

Action to legislate the state’s renewable energy targets was welcomed by the Queensland Conservation Council (QCC), with an appeal to those on the opposite side of parliament to support the bill.

“Sending mixed signals delays clean energy investment, so bi-partisan support for the well-planned transformation of our energy system is vital to achieving the best outcomes for consumers, workers and the environment,” said QCC director Dave Copeman.

“We need the state opposition to back this legislation to demonstrate they are committed to ending the climate and energy wars, and getting on with the transition to clean, renewable energy.

“The state election is exactly one year away and we don’t want to see a repeat of last time where the LNP planned to scrap the 50% Renewable Energy Target, which we’re now on track to meet two years early.”

Queensland has a much less ambitious emissions reduction target of just 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, which is beneath the federal target of 43 per cent cut by 2030, and well below what the science says is required as part of efforts to cap global warming at 1.5°C.