May 5, 2011
Australia

Big wind farm planned near Kojonup

ABC News, www.abc.net.au 5 May 2011

A great southern town could soon have Western Australia’s second largest wind farm.

Moonies Hill Energy has applied to build 74 turbines across an area south-east of Kojonup.

The $400 million plant would provide enough electricity to supply 90,000 homes a year.

Moonies Hill director Sarah Rankin says the project would save up to 730,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases and bring great benefits to the region.

“We think, generally, that it’s actually going to be quite a good thing and having local generation can actually also attract industry,” she said.

“Wind farms have certainly … proven to be tourist attractions, so it’s just another reason to come to the great southern.”

The recently opened Collgar Wind Farm near Merredin is the state’s largest wind farm, with 111 turbines.