Three big wind projects approved in NSW as Labor clears decks for poll

Environment minister Tanya Plibersek has announced federal approvals for three major wind projects in NSW, including the 1.33 gigawatt Liverpool Range and the hotly contested Hills of Hold projects, as the Albanese government clears the decks ahead of the upcoming federal election.

The approvals announced on Thursday total nearly 2.4 gigawatts (GW), and comprise Tilt Renewables’ Liverpool Range project near Coolah, the Andrew Forrest owned Squadron Energy’s 600 MW Spicers Creek project near Gulgong, and the 372 MW Hills of Gold project near Nundle.

All have been in the planning process for some time, particularly Liverpool Range and Hills of Gold, which have both made significant changes to their layout and plans to accommodate local communities and planning requirements.

Plibersek said in a statement that the approvals, along with those previously announced by the federal Labor government, represent a “huge milestone” in the transition to renewables.

“Unlike the climate deniers and environmental vandals of the Liberal and National party, Labor is getting on with the job of transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower,” Plibersek said.

“I’ve now approved enough new renewable energy to power more than 10 million homes – nearly every single Australian household.

“We’ve already added 15GW of renewable energy to the grid. That’s more energy capacity than Peter Dutton’s entire nuclear plan could hope to produce in 25 years. This is what action on cost of living and climate change looks like.”

Tilt bought the Liverpool Range project in 2019 as an approved 962 MW project, but its proposal in 2022 to supersize the project to 1.33 GW with larger turbines met big resistance, and it agreed to reduce both the number of turbines and their tip heights in response.

The $2 billion project will still be the biggest wind project in NSW, although it will likely be overtaken by other wind projects such as Origin Energy’s Yanco Delta should they get the final go ahead from planners and financiers.

“We have worked with landholders and the community over a number of years to refine the project,” Tilt Renewables CEO Andrew Fowler said in a statement.

“Modifications to our project were approved by the NSW Government last year. This EPBC approval means that the Liverpool Range Wind Farm is now another step closer to reality.”

The Hills of Gold project – owned by Engie – sparked even more controversy, and the “Not in Nundle” campaign that attracted widespread media attention. It also became a focus for the industry because of the potential use of “phantom dwellings” to thwart wind energy projects.

However, despite the federal approval, it has legal hurdles still to jump over, with a local group lodging an appeal against the NSW state approval (from the Independent Planning Commission) through the Land and Environment Court. 

“Engie welcomes the Federal Government’s EPBC approval for the Hills of Gold Wind Farm, and we’re continuing to work through legal considerations in order to deliver the project,” a company spokesperson said.

Spicers Creek is the second big wind farm to be developed by Squadron Energy in NSW since its purchase by Forrest, along with the recently completed Bango wind farm.

It is one of 19 wind and solar projects that were awarded an underwriting agreement in the federal government’s recently concluded tender – the country’s biggest ever – under the Capacity Investment Scheme.

Squadron also owns and operates the Sapphire, Murra Warra and Crudine Ridge wind farms, and has more than a dozen wind and solar projects in construction or development, including the newly connected Clarke Creek wind project in Queensland, and a handful of battery projects.

“The team have been working so hard and should be proud of this next milestone for Spicers Creek,” said Trish McDonald, the company’s head of project development.

“We are now working on post approval, contracting and financing. We will appoint a lead contractor or contractors, and provide them with a list of local businesses that have registered their interest in working on the project.”

The next federal poll must be held by May, with some pundits suggesting it could be held as early as April 12, although the timetable for that date is rapidly diminishing.

More to follow