Huge wind farm gets green light

Bendigo Advertiser
Saturday 28/10/2006, Page: 16

MELBOURNE - Victoria is set to become home to the largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere, with the State Government giving the $600 million project the green light yesterday.

But environment groups said the government had to do more to improve its green credentials, with global warming pollution increasing by six million tonnes a year - the equivalent of one million extra cars on the road - since the Bracks' government came to power seven years ago.

AGL Energy yesterday received approval to build the wind farm at Macarthur, 32 km north of Port Fairy, in the state's west.

AGL managing director Paul Anthony welcomed the government backing and said a final investment decision was expected within a year. The 183-turbine farm, spread over 55 square kilometres, will have the capacity to generate up to 329 megawatts of electricity.

That could power almost 190,000 homes a year.

Planning Minister Rob Hulls seized on the opportunity to trumpet the government's Victorian Renewable Energy Target scheme, which the opposition has vowed to abolish if elected. Under the scheme, electricity retailers must buy a minimum of 10 per cent of their energy from renewable power sources by 2016.

Victorian Landscape Guardians president Randall Bell said the government was sitting on four reports unfavourable to wind farms. Property values would plummet, he warned.