The developers of wind, solar, & pumped hydro storage hub in Queensland, known as the ‘Battery of the North’, are reportedly planning a massive renewables project. The project comprises of a 500-MW wind farm and 200-MW of battery storage capacities. The Wambo wind farm has been co-established by the developers of Urannah Renewable Energy Hub, Renewable Energy Partners and Cubico Sustainable Investments in the Western Downs Region. The site has been selected for its favorable grid connectivity and promising wind resources. After the anticipated approval of the wind farm, it will relatively become a neighboring facility of Coopers Gap wind farm with 400-MW capacity. The Wambo project, which is expected to consist of 200-MW wind energy capacity in the 1st phase of development, is in the early planning and feasibility stages. It has not received the state government approval for its development. Sources familiar with the matter have stated that the wind farm project was explored by REP in mid-2018. During this period, the project development company secured a large number of landowners to actively participate in the project. Additionally, in 2019, the company signed a deal with Cubico Sustainable Investments to jointly develop this project, under which Cubico will become its long-term operator and owner. Sources further added that the Queensland planning department will receive an environmental planning assessment by the end of 2020. It is targeting to start the construction activities in the Q3 of 2021. For the construction process, REP is planning to employ nearly 200 workers and up to 20 operational and maintenance staff for the long-term. REP has reportedly stated that the new project is expected to have the capacity to generate up to 500-MW of electricity as well as incorporate a 50-MW (200-MW per hour) battery to store and deliver electric energy into the grid. In addition to Urannah and Wambo, REP is targeting Western Downs solar farm with 250-MW capacity in Queensland. Source credit: https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-500mw-wind-farm-and-big-battery-planned-for-southern-queensland-49262/
