THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
MEDIA RELEASE
Saturday, 27 July 2024
New wind farm in SA to power 144,000 homes
The Albanese Government has ticked off a new wind farm in South Australia which will generate enough energy to power 144,000 homes.
The 288-megawatt Palmer Wind Farm is located between the townships of Palmer and Tungkillo and includes the installation of 40 wind turbines which will connect to South Australia’s electricity network.
This is another big step in the Government’s plan to make Australia a renewable energy superpower.
Under the Liberals and Nationals, 24 coal fired power plants with a total capacity of 26.7 GW announced their closure dates, but the previous government failed to deliver any policy to ensure replacement energy capacity.
At the last election, Australians voted for progress on renewables. That’s exactly what Labor is delivering.
The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 212,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which is equivalent to taking more than 65,000 cars off the road each year.
We know projects like this are vital to boosting renewables capacity and putting downward pressure on prices, but they are also great for local jobs and economies. This project will support up to 220 direct jobs in construction and up 5 ongoing jobs.
The site is already cleared land and used for grazing. The project demonstrates how good site selection can lead to faster environmental approvals.
Projects need to be placed in the right areas and designed so that their environmental impacts are minimised – as is the case with this wind farm.
Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:
“Labor is transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower while Peter Dutton wants to send us back decades.
“I’ve ticked off more than 55 renewable energy projects in two years - more than the Abbott and Turnbull Governments combined and enough to power more than three million Australian homes.
“Those renewable energy projects give us more electricity in the two years we have been in office than Peter Dutton’s uncosted and unexplained seven large reactors might produce some 20 years from now.
“Labor is getting on with the job of the renewable energy transition.
“Not only are we delivering cheaper cleaner power sooner, but we are on track to reaching our 2030 emissions target.
“Australians have a choice between a renewable energy transition that’s already underway and driving down prices or paying for an expensive nuclear fantasy that may never happen.”
ENDS
