Wind farm proposed near coal plant embroiled in CCS controversy

Plans to build a 300MW wind farm next to a coal power plant in south-west Queensland have been unveiled by Brisbane-based developer Renewable Energy Partners.

Renewable Energy Partners (REP) said on Tuesday that the up to 48-turbine Merrawindi Wind Farm is planned for construction near Millmerran, in the Toowoomba Regional Council local government area.

REP says the proposed project’s site, adjacent to the Genuity’s Millmerran Power Station, has been chosen for its “excellent” wind resource and existing high-voltage transmission network, as well as for the strong local community support and highly skilled workforce.

As it happens, the Millmerran Power Station is the same coal plant set to be the site of a controversial carbon capture and storage trial, pending approvals from the Queensland government.

The planned CTSCo CCS project, run by coalminer Glencore and backed by the former Morrison Coalition government, proposes to capture carbon from the coal plant, liquefy it and inject it into a groundwater formation in the Great Artesian Basin – a move Queensland’s farmer’s advocacy group has described as “unthinkable” and is vowing to fight.

“It’s not every day that rural and regional communities, environmentalists and farmers stand united on an issue, but as a collective we are willing to go all the way to fight this plan,” said AgForce CEO Michael Guerin in February.

“We need your help, so make your opposition to this proposal known by signing AgForce’s petition, and if you can, chip in to help fundraise for potential court action.”

The proposed wind farm, which would power up to 180,000 Queensland homes, is the ninth that REP has originated in Australia and adds to the company’s portfolio of projects in the area, including Wambo wind farm, the Ulinda Park Battery and the Hopeland Solar Farm.

“Queensland is a fantastic place to develop renewable energy projects, given the strong support of the Queensland government through its Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan under the leadership of [energy] minister De Brenni,” said REP CEO Luke McDonald in a statement on Tuesday.

The company hopes to have the Merrawindi wind farm operational by 2028.