NSW's largest approved farm

Goulburn Post
28/05/2007 Page: 5

THE proposed Taralga Windfarm as ratified earlier this year by the Land and Environment Court makes it by far the largest approved development of its type in NSW. With its generation capacity of 105MW, modifications to the proposal as outlined by the developers, RES Southern Cross, to residents and council last week have the potential to generate up to 186MW.

According to an industry website that supplies data from all windfarm projects across the nation, just two projects in NSW currently seeking approval would be larger that the original Taralga project. They are a 106MW farm being championed by AlIco Wind Energy Management at Ben Lomond in the state's north, and a 126MW farm being put forward by Renewable Power at Bungendore (between Goulburn and Canberra). Additionally, a 120MW farm is in the feasibility stage at Molonglo near Queanbeyan. But NSW windfarms pale into insignificance when compared to action interstate.

Perusal of the Victorian statistics show there has been planning approval for a 329MW facility at Macarthur and a 232MW farm at Mount Gellibrand. A useful comparison for Southern Tablelands residents is the data that describes the original Crookwell Windfarm and the revised Taralga facility. Crookwell has eight turbines atop 45 metre towers producing 5MW of power. The revised Taralga Windfarm will boast 62 towers of 80-85 metres generating up to 186MW.