Goldwind seeks buyer for first 450MW stage of Clarke Creek wind farm

Goldwind Australia is looking for a buyer for the first 450MW stage of the massive Clarke Creek wind farm north-west of Rockhampton in Queensland, and it has enlisted PwC as the go-between.

In an emailed statement on Thursday, Goldwind Australia confirmed to RenewEconomy that PwC had been appointed as financial advisor for the sale of the first stage of the project, which Goldwind was developing for owners Lacour Energy.

As RenewEconomy has reported, Goldwind has big plans for Clarke Creek, with the wind farm expected to reach up to 800MW in total capacity and be paired with a solar farm of between 200MW and 400MW, as well as a big battery.

Part of the sales pitch will no doubt include the power purchase agreement the two companies struck in August with the Queensland government-owned Stanwell Corp to buy the output from 348MW of the first wind farm.

“The Power Purchase Agreement is very important to enable engagement with investors and banks to progress to the construction phase which is targeted to commence in mid-2021,” Goldwind Australia managing director John Titchen said at the time.

On top of this, “the project has an excellent wind resource,” a Goldwind spokesperson said in the statement this week.

How much money Goldwind might be seeking to get stage one of Clarke Creek off the ground remains undisclosed, but the fact that there is approval for the addition of the solar and battery could boost total project costs to $1.5 billion.

The Clarke Creek sale comes as part of a flurry of wheeling and dealing in the renewable energy sector, with reports (as yet unconfirmed) that Elliott Green Power Australia is looking to offload its more than 300MW of solar assets in Australia.

And ASX-listed New Energy Solar announced last month that it plans to sell the 111MW Beryl and 55.9MW Manildra solar farms, as it seeks to address the low market price which it says undervalues its securities.

Elsewhere, FRV has reportedly put its seven solar farms up for sale – although is still yet to issue a formal comment;  UK investor John Laing has sold its wind portfolio and will sell its remaining solar assets when connection and grid issues are resolved, and; construction giant Downer EDI, developers Ellaktor and its subsidiary Biosar, as well as contractors Decmil have all announced exits from the Australian market in 2020.