Dulacca Wind Farm Officially Opened, Boosting Queensland’s Renewable Energy Capacity

The 180MW Dulacca wind farm in southern Queensland has been officially opened, marking a significant achievement in the state’s energy transformation. Developed by RES and now owned by Octopus Australia, the Dulacca wind farm consists of 43 turbines on farm land in the Western Downs region.

Queensland has witnessed a surge in wind energy investments in recent years, with the completion of several wind farms. Prior to this, the state had only one 12MW wind farm at Windy Hill. The Dulacca wind farm is one of six fully operational wind farms in Queensland, with more under construction, including the MacIntyre project, which will be the country’s first gigawatt-scale wind project.

CleanCo, a state-owned clean energy generator, has secured 70% (126 MW) of the Dulacca wind farm’s output. CleanCo will sell this renewable energy to customers such as BHP-Mitsubishi coal mining operations and Scentre Group, which owns and operates Westfield shopping centres in the state.

Both the Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, and the energy minister, Mick de Brenni, attended the opening ceremony. Queensland currently derives 25% of its generation from renewables and has set targets of 50% renewable energy by 2030 and 80% by 2035.

Palaszczuk stated that the Dulacca Wind Farm demonstrates Queensland’s commitment to cleaner and more affordable energy for its residents. She emphasized that the project not only powers Queensland but also contributes to the global shift toward decarbonization.

De Brenni highlighted the falling wholesale power costs resulting from the increasing number of wind farms connecting to the grid. The Dulacca wind farm is the first operating wind farm for Octopus in Queensland, and the company has plans for a 1GWh battery and the Western Downs energy park.

Overall, the opening of the Dulacca wind farm adds to Queensland’s renewable energy capacity and supports the state’s ambitious goals for transitioning to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

Sources:
– Renew Economy (source article)
– One Step Off The Grid
– The Driven