ACCIONA will build its largest ever wind farm in Australia, the MacIntyre complex in Queensland, with a total capacity of 1,026MW. The project will boost the Queensland government’s decarbonisation strategy, mobilising total investments of AU$1.96 billion (€1 billion). The bulk of the investment will take place between 2022 and 2023.
ACCIONA has reached an agreement with CleanCo, the Queensland Government’s newest renewable energy generator, for it to become the independent owner and operator of a 100MW wind farm within the MacIntyre complex. In addition, CleanCo will acquire the annual production of 400MW from ACCIONA’s facilities for ten years through a power purchase agreement (PPA).
ACCIONA is negotiating additional supply agreements with private clients as well as the possible involvement of other offtaker-investor partners for its 926MW in the MacIntyre complex.
The project is scheduled to begin construction in mid-2021, with a gradual start-up in phases to ensure connection to the grid for the state’s electricity system, while optimizing the return on investment. Some 64 km of transmission lines will be laid to connect the wind complex to the grid. The entire MacIntyre complex is scheduled to be fully operational in 2024.
MacIntyre’s 1,026MW capacity will generate clean electricity to power about 700,000 homes and avoid the emission of nearly 3 million tons of CO2 per year. By greening Queensland’s electricity mix, the MacIntyre wind complex will help the state meet its decarbonisation commitments and climate change mitigation strategies. The scale of the MacIntyre project makes it one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world today.
The complex will consist of 180 Nordex Group’s Delta4000 turbines, each with a capacity of up to 5.7MW, which are the latest generation of turbines launched by the German manufacturer.
Social Impact in Queensland
Up to 400 jobs will be generated over the life of the project, providing regional Queensland communities with a significant economic boost. Local spend during construction is expected to exceed AU$500 million.
Through bespoke community engagement strategies, ACCIONA will establish a Community Enhancement Program to channel financial assistance to community groups and local schools.
The creation of a Community Scholarship Program will also provide financial support for college and TAFE students.
ACCIONA in Australia
ACCIONA has been operating in Australia since 2002, where it has successfully developed its renewable energy, water and infrastructure businesses.
ACCIONA’s Energy unit develops, builds and operates wind farms that produce clean energy for more than 285,000 Australian homes per year. Its installed capacity of 435 MW is distributed between Mt. Gellibrand (132MW, Victoria), Waubra (192MW, Victoria), Cathedral Rocks (64MW, South Australia) and Gunning (47MW, New South Wales). The company is currently building a wind farm in Mortlake South (158MW, Victoria) and has several projects under study and development in the states of Queensland and Victoria.
Its Infrastructure unit has built major projects such as the Legacy Way tunnel in Brisbane, a 41km bypass for the Toowoomba motorway, a desalination plant in Adelaide, the Mundaring water treatment plant East of Perth, and the Sydney Light Rail. In Western Australia, ACCIONA is currently building the country’s first waste to energy (W2E) plant in Kwinana and has been awarded a second W2E project in East Rockingham. The company is developing a number of rail projects in the state of Victoria. Last December, ACCIONA announced an agreement to acquire eight key projects from Lendlease Engineering; the deal is expected to become effective in the first half of 2020.
