RES granted permit for 420MW Australian project

RES has permission to install 116 turbines — set to be 3.6MW each — at the project site in north-west Victoria.

The A$650 million ($484 million) project will take two years to complete, the developer said.

RES Australia chief operating officer Matt Rebbeck said: "This is our second big project in Victoria, and when it is constructed, RES will have brought over A$1 billion (US$745 million) in new renewable energy projects to the state."

RES is also currently installing turbines at the 240MW Ararat project in south-west Victoria. The development, which started producing electricity in August, will comprise 75 GE 3.2MW turbines when completed.

Victoria stands out in Australia by promoting wind power. In June 2016, the state government announced ambitious renewable energy targets of 25% by 2020, rising to 40% in 2025.

The state sources approximately 14% of its electricity from renewables currently.

Approximately 5.4GW of renewable energy projects will be built in Victoria by 2025, requiring A$2.5 billion (US$1.8 billion) of investment, the government said in June.

In July, developers Acciona and Windlab won a tender to build two projects totalling 100MW, and the Victorian government approved an up-to-300MW wind project developed by New Zealand firm Trustpower.

The Macarthur wind project is currently Australia's largest wind project, at 420MW. It was completed in 2013, and comprises 140 Vestas V112-3MW turbines.