{"id":539570,"date":"2026-03-14T08:23:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T08:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/539570\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T08:23:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T08:23:13","slug":"huge-wind-project-seeks-federal-green-tick-with-novel-storage-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/539570\/","title":{"rendered":"Huge wind project seeks federal green tick with novel storage plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

A huge Queensland wind farm that survived the state LNP government\u2019s perilous project call-in process, and was awarded state development approval last March, has kicked off a full federal environmental assessment.<\/p>\n

The 1.4 gigawatt (GW) Bungaban Renewable Energy Farm \u2013 owned by Windlab, which is majority owned by Andrew Forrest\u2019s Squadron Energy \u2013 this week published 703 pages of planning documents on the EPBC website and opened them to public comment until March 20.<\/p>\n

As Renew Economy has reported<\/a>, Bungaban is a significant project, having signed the biggest power purchase agreement yet seen in Australia to help power Rio Tinto\u2019s Gladstone minerals processing operations.<\/p>\n

The smelter and refineries are the state\u2019s biggest power consumers, and a major employer, and Rio Tinto has warned the facilities would not survive beyond the end of the decade<\/a> without access to low cost renewable power.<\/p>\n

See:\u00a0Rio Tinto signs massive solar and battery deal to help secure future of smelters and refineries<\/a><\/p>\n

The $3.9 billion project proposes to install up to 204 wind turbines on cattle grazing land around 35 kilometres (km) north-east of Wandoan and 55 km south-east of Taroom, in Queensland\u2019s Western Downs Region.<\/p>\n

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The preliminary documentation published on the EPBC website this week provides a description of the baseline ecological conditions and assessment of the potential impacts of the project on matters of national environmental significance (MNES).<\/p>\n

In this case, the project has identified five key matters of concern, including the Brigalow ecological community \u2013 \u00a0a nationally endangered, iconic ecosystem in Queensland and New South Wales, with only about 10% of its original extent remaining.<\/p>\n

On the fauna side of the equation, the focus is on the assessing and minimising the potential impact the project could have on the Dunmall\u2019s snake, the southern squatter pigeon, the greater glider (southern and central), and on the local koala population.<\/p>\n

But the documents also go into finer detail on the project\u2019s footprint and design, including the size and layout of the turbines and variations on the project\u2019s plans for integrated battery energy storage. <\/p>\n

Windlab says the turbines will have a capacity of up to 8 megawatts (MW) each, have a hub height of up to 200 metres (m) and a rotor diameter of up to 200m. The maximum turbine blade tip height will be 300m above ground level.<\/p>\n

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(Click on image to enlarge)<\/p>\n

For storage, the plan is include battery energy storage systems (BESS) installed at the collection substations across the project, but Windlab says it is also considering distributing BESS at each wind turbine, adjacent to the hardstand area, within the current development footprint. <\/p>\n

\u201cDistributed BESS may be located at each [wind turbine generator] to utilise new technologies and to improve performance and function of the grid connection,\u201d the documents say. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf this new technology is utilised, the BESS would be located adjacent to the existing hardstand areas \u2026 and would mitigate the need to build standalone BESS infrastructure\u2026 No additional clearing will be required if the BESS is located adjacent to the existing hardstand areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cEither of the BESS options mentioned above will be designed to provide short-term storage for export, system reliability and firming support,\u201d the documents add. <\/p>\n

\u201cDuring detailed design, an assessment will be undertaken to determine fire risks and refine the setbacks for each individual BESS,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n

Most new solar projects in Australia include a big battery behind the connection point, but are rarely proposed for wind projects, although turbine manufacturer Goldwind has been testing small batteries with individual turbines at the Moorabool wind farm in Victoria.<\/a><\/p>\n

Windlab says the project \u2013 which last year gained a spot<\/a> on the federal government\u2019s\u00a0National Renewable Energy Priority List \u2013 has been carefully designed to avoid and minimise environmental impact. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe site does not contain large, connected areas of environmentally significant vegetation, allowing the project to proceed with minimal disruption to biodiversity and ecological values,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, Bungaban promises to \u201cdeliver real impact\u201d on state and federal efforts to decarbonise both the energy market and critical industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver 80% of the energy generated by the Project will directly support the decarbonisation of Australia\u2019s critical minerals and manufacturing industries in Gladstone \u2013 sectors essential to Australia\u2019s economic future and the global clean energy supply chain, employing thousands of people in regional and remote communities,\u201d the documents say. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe remaining 20% generation will have the capacity to power one in 13 Queensland homes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, as Bungaban makes its way through the federal approvals process with state approval in hand, other Queensland wind proposals have not been so fortunate.<\/p>\n

The multi-billion dollar Middle Creek energy hub and Marmadua energy park have both been in state development limbo<\/a> since June last year \u2013 along with three newly called in big battery projects \u2013 after being called in for full reassessment by Queensland planning minister Jarrod Bleijie.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A third wind project that was called in \u2013 the previously state-approved 450 MW Moonlight Range wind farm and battery \u2013\u00a0was cancelled by Bleijie<\/a>\u00a0last May. The project\u2019s developer, Greenleaf Renewables, has nevertheless pushed ahead<\/a> with the federal EPBC approvals process, hoping to find \u201cthe best way forward for the project.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you would like to join more than 29,000 others and get the latest clean energy news delivered straight to your inbox, for free, please\u00a0click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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