Coopers Gap Wind Farm

The location for the wind farm is a hilly area to the west of the Bunya Mountains. The site area lies to the north and south of Niagara Road, starting approximately 3 km (2 miles) from the Bunya Highway, as well as to the west of Jarail Road. The site extends to Crowles Road to the south, Cooranga North-Niagara Road to the west, close to Nords Road and Diamondy Road to the North and close to Bunya Highway to the east.

The area is mostly cleared, cattle-grazing country and covers approximately 12,000 hectares (29,700 acres) in total.[3] The project falls within both the South Burnett Regional Council and Western Downs Regional Council jurisdictions.[4]

Coopers Gap Wind Farm will have a total generation capacity of up to 453 megawatts (607,000 hp) and annually, 1.51 million megawatt hours of energy.[1] The wind farm will consist of up to 123 turbines[1] extending across a series of ridge lines within the proposed site. The wind turbines proposed will be approximately 180 metres (591 ft) in height from the tower base to the tip of the blade.[5][6] The tower will be approximately 113 metres (371 ft) high,[6] and the blades approximately 67 m (220 ft) in length[6] with a rotor diameter of 137 metres (449 ft).[6] The construction costs of the project were initially to be over $1.2 billion.[4] However the project was revised to include 115 turbines and only cost A$800 million.[7]

The electricity generated from each turbine will be transmitted via underground or above ground cabling to a central cable marshalling point at the on site substation, which will be located next to the 220 kv or 132 kv power lines that run through the site area. The sub station will then connect directly into the grid network on site. It is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 2.2 million tonnes annually.[3]

In April 2011, some local landholders expressed concerns at a community forum related to health effects and the noise of the wind turbines, some of which will be less than a kilometre from homes.[7]

In March 2017, the project was approved by the Coordinator-General. The approved project consists of up to 115 turbines, with a maximum tip height of 180m, and a maximum rotor diameter of 140m.

The project is being constructed as of July 2019 and consists of 123 turbines.[6] The first turbine generated electricity to the grid on 24 June 2019. An emergency services drill was conducted involving someone having broken into the tower and occupied the turbine and threatening further harm to themselves and the equipment.[8]

• Wind power in Australia