Property News Australia.com.au

AUSTRALIA’S largest wind farm, with the capacity to generate enough electricity for 400,000 homes, could be up and running in far western NSW by the end of 2009.

Hamburg-based Conergy, which currently has about 15 per cent of the solar energy market in Australia, announced its proposal today to install about 500 wind turbines northwest of Broken Hill.

10 times larger than the next biggest windfarm approved for NSW the Silverton plant could be operational in stages by late 2009, but the $2 billion facility will only partially meet the coming electricity deficit as the supply of electricity represents the next big challenge for the Iemma Government.

The recent inquiry into energy supply in NSW revealed that electricity is running close to capacity in the state and without further investment in a baseload facility some time in the next six years, residents will start to see interruptions to their electricity supply. Estimates are that the entire sytem in is need of a $15 billion upgrade and makeover.

The company will submit a development application for the farm in March next year, with approval expected by the end of the year.

Conenergy executive director Andrew Durran said the Federal Government’s plans to establish binding targets for renewable energy were key to the project.

“Its success will be very much hinged on strong government legislation on renewable energy targets,” he said.

The project could produce up to 4.5 per cent of NSW’s annual energy needs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by three million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, the company said.

“Silverton Wind Farm will be one of the largest in the world once it’s operating, with the potential for almost 1000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity,” Mr Durran said.

He said he had also spoken to the communities of Silverton and Broken Hill, with most people showing support for a project that would create 100 permanent jobs in the area.

Four landholders have already agreed to host the wind turbines.