Plans approved for 42 MW in Western Victoria

The Victorian government has approved plans for a 42 MW wind farm in Western Victoria. Proposed by New Zealand's Wind Farm Developments, the Naroghid wind farm is the first project to win approval since the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) was introduced last month. Under VRET retailers in Victoria must buy 10% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2016. "Naroghid wind farm will add significantly to the mix of green energy sources needed to meet the VRET, which will eventually deliver up to A$2 billion of new investment in renewable energy and create up to 2200 jobs, mainly in regional Victoria," says Victoria's planning minister Rob Hulls. Comprising 21 turbines, the Naroghid wind farm will generate enough electricity to power 25,000 homes a year. Construction is expected to begin late 2007. The project is the first in Victoria approved with aviation obstacle lights on some of the boundary turbine nacelles. Wind Power Developments says it will be tendering for turbines later this year. The company was the developer and project manager of the 68 MW Tararua Wind Farm near Palmerston North in New Zealand, now owned by Trustpower subsidiary Tararua Wind Power Limited.