National News
Renewable energy company wants to build 280-turbine wind farm on Tasmania’s west coast
With a planned capital spend of almost $3.5 billion, Westcoast Renewable Energy (WRE) wants to build 280 wind turbines at Tasmania’s west coast.
Each turbine will be up to 250 metres tall at the blade tip, across a 40,000-hectare tract of public land north and west of Zeehan. WRE said once operational, after a decade-long construction timeline, the wind farm would be capable of generating 2.8 gigawatts of power, more than the state-owned electricity generator Hydro Tasmania’s capacity.
The company claims the development would be an economic boon for Zeehan, with up to 350 jobs based in town during construction, and 90 ongoing positions.
In Zeehan, some residents are excited by that prospect, but wildlife foundations are critical of the use of public land for a wind farm it believes will threaten native wildlife. Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Scott Jordan said the project was “terrible”, and he questioned why public land would be allowed to be used for a large-scale private development.