The Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm near Colac in south west Victoria recently received final approval from the Victorian government.
Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm, to be constructed by ACCIONA Energy, will consist of 63 wind turbines and have a capacity of 189 megawatts - enough to meet the power needs of approximately 88,000 households in Victoria annually.
“The Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm will bring significant economic activity and benefits to the Colac region as well as providing a new source of clean, renewable energy,” says Brett Wickham, ACCIONA Energy’s Director of Generation.
ACCIONA states it is “committed to engaging with the landowners, neighbours and the broader community to build effective relationships and ensure the success” of the wind power facility.
Construction will commence by 15 March, 2012, but a completion date has not yet been determined.
This project may not have occurred under the Victorian Government’s recently changed wind farm planning rules that stipulate a minimum two-kilometre distance between large wind turbines and residences - a change that could see Victoria lose as much as $3 billion in investment. However, ACCIONA’s project received initial approval in 2006.
Mt. Gellibrand is located 25 kilometres east of Colac and 17 kilometres west of Winchelsea in Victoria.
ACCIONA Energy also operates the Waubra Wind Farm in Victoria, the Gunning Wind Farm in New South Wales and is a joint venture partner for the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm in South Australia, which generates enough electricity for the needs of 205,000 households.
ACCIONA says it has invested more than $630 million in its Australian operations over the last decade and has employed more than 500 people across the nation. Globally, the company is active in all major renewable energy industries - solar, wind, biomass, biofuels and hydro.
