PROPOSED benefits
Industry and job creation in regional Queensland
Forest Wind has the potential to create:
hundreds of jobs during the construction phase
long-term operations and maintenance roles
In addition, Forest Wind will create training and significant skills development opportunities for workers in the region.
Downward pressure on electricity prices
Globally, electricity markets are rapidly changing to replace old coal-fired generators reaching their end of life, and to supplement gas generation.
As free energy resources (wind and solar) enter the electricity market it will put downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices. Wind out-competes conventional coal and gas resources, which carry the cost of extraction, transport, material handling, and disposal of waste. To combat climate change in the future, conventional generators will also need to carry the cost of their greenhouse gas emissions, thereby increasing demand to move to free energy resources.
The wind is free and arrives day and night from the Pacific Ocean. With this resource, Forest Wind can supply a quarter of Queensland’s homes at no marginal cost.
Community Benefits Sharing
We are working with the local community to identify and develop local strategies and initiatives that address community priorities and needs and deliver lasting benefits to the surrounding communities.
Over the development phase we will work with a wide range of stakeholders and our Community Reference Group to identify the best ways we can design and implement initiatives and partnerships that deliver lasting local benefits. We will keep you informed as these initiatives develop.
Energy security
Queensland is Australia’s second largest electricity market, supported by many generators including coal, gas, hydro, biomass, solar and wind, with a comprehensive transmission and distribution network providing nation-leading supply security.
Given the scale and sophistication of the Queensland market, Forest Wind will complement the existing generators and electrical transmission infrastructure.
Furthermore, Queensland is uniquely placed in the national electricity market to support wind and solar power's intermittency through adaptive and supportive open-cycle gas plants and the state-owned hydro generators.
Reduce carbon emissions and help tackle climate change
Forest Wind's potential 1,200MW generating capacity will make a major contribution to lowering Australia's carbon emissions, fundamental to addressing climate change. The Project will also help meet Australia's and Queensland's renewable energy targets.
Forest Wind has the potential to:
contribute 1/4 of new generation needed to meet Queensland's renewable energy target of 50% by 2030
contribute 1/10 of new generation needed to meet Australia's renewable energy target of 23% by 2030
offset emissions by 2.62 million tCO2e each year and 78.52 million tCO2e over the life of the wind farm.