Wind farm proponent wants to build 280 turbines on public land
A plan to build a 280-turbine wind farm on public land on Tasmania's west coast is being touted as an economic boom, but it's also stoking fears for native wildlife.
A wind farm project proposed for Tasmania's west coast is under assessment by the federal environment department. The project, proposed by Westcoast Renewable Energy (WRE), would see 280 wind turbines built on public land, each up to 250 metres tall. The company claims the development would generate 2.8 gigawatts of power, far exceeding Hydro Tasmania's capacity.
The project, with a capital spend of almost $3.5 billion, hopes to start construction of the first 70 turbines in 2028 and create up to 350 jobs during construction and 90 ongoing positions. However, conservationists from the Bob Brown Foundation criticize the use of public land for what they believe will threaten native wildlife.
WRE, with previous experience in large-scale wind farm developments, plans to privately finance the entire project and has no plans to seek public funding. The company has chosen specific turbine locations to avoid the orange-bellied parrot's migration route. Despite the economic potential, the project faces opposition due to concerns about its impact on native Tasmanian species.
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