Sian Crampsie
Acciona has announced plans to start construction of a 1026 MW wind farm in Australia next year.
The Spanish engineering firm says the project will require investments totalling A$1.96 billion to 2023 and will be completed in 2024. It will be the largest renewable energy facility in Acciona’s portfolio, and one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world.
Acciona will develop and own 926 MW of capacity at the MacIntyre complex, while a further 100 MW will be built and owned by CleanCo, a Queensland government-owned clean energy generator. The project will be a key part of Queensland state’s decarbonization strategy.
Acciona has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement with CleanCo for 400 MW of capacity from the project, and says that it is negotiating additional supply agreements with private clients as well as the possible involvement of other offtaker-investor partners.
The project is scheduled to begin construction in mid-2021, with a gradual start-up in phases to ensure connection to the grid for the state's electricity system, while optimizing the return on investment. Some 64 km of transmission lines will be laid to connect the wind complex to the grid.
The MacIntyre complex will comprise 180 Nordex Delta4000 5.7 MW wind turbines.
