BREAKTHROUGH IN NSW: AGL’s $2BN Wind Farm Gets Green Light to Power 590,000 Homes and Slash Emissions!
- AGL’s massive $2 billion wind farm project in NSW’s Riverina region has received final approval, set to power nearly 600,000 homes.
- The 1300MW wind farm will feature 247 turbines and a centralised 500MW battery storage system, slashing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly three million tonnes annually.
- The project has sparked mixed reactions, with some hailing it as a crucial step towards a renewable energy future, while others have expressed concerns about the impact on the local landscape and the reliability of renewables as a power source.
Energy giant AGL has secured final approval for its monumental $2 billion Pottinger Wind Farm project in NSW’s Riverina region, marking a significant step towards a cleaner, greener energy future for the state.
The massive 1300MW wind farm, located 60km south of Hay, will boast 247 towering turbines, each reaching a maximum height of 280m, alongside a centralised 500MW battery storage system. This behemoth project is expected to power a staggering 590,000 homes, equivalent to nearly 25 per cent of NSW’s households.
In a significant boost for the local economy, the project will create up to 900 jobs during construction and 50 permanent positions to support ongoing operations. Environment Minister Murray Watt hailed the project’s potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly three million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, saying it would “deliver clean, cheap, and reliable power to the Riverina and surrounds.”
The wind farm is a joint venture between AGL, backed by tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, and Someva Renewables. While Hay Shire Council and Edward River Council have thrown their support behind the project, others have raised concerns about the impact on the surrounding landscape and the viability of renewables as a reliable energy source.
‘We always love driving across the Hay iconic plain, its natural beauty and its quintessential start to be Australian outback,’ one resident lamented in a public submission opposing the project. ‘Moulamein, all this area, is wonderful… this area, in my opinion, will be ruined not only for farming but tourism as well.’
Another resident argued that the state should ‘get back’ to coal-fired power, claiming that renewables are unreliable and incapable of meeting Australia’s energy needs. However, AGL is adamant about its commitment to transitioning to renewable energy, with a 9.6GW pipeline of hydro, wind, solar, and battery projects in development. The company aims to exit coal entirely by 2050 and achieve net zero emissions by the same year.