Approval for the Moorabool and Yaloak South wind energy facilities in Victoria (Australia)

The $130 million Yaloak South Wind Farm comprises 14 wind turbines and has a total capacity of 29 megawatts, enough energy to power 11,400 homes.

“These wind farm projects will together provide an $880 million boost to Victoria’s regional economy. They will create up to 260 jobs during construction as well as up to 34 ongoing operation and maintenance jobs once the facilities are completed,” Mr Batchelor said.

“These wind power projects will make a major contribution to the Brumby Labor Government’s commitment to meeting the climate change challenge and driving down greenhouse emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020.

“These decisions support regional development and renewable energy in the right locations to achieve a more sustainable future for Victoria.”

Mr Batchelor said the two wind farms would provide significant economic investment and jobs in regional Victoria. “These are the very kinds of projects that would not go ahead under a Ted Baillieu Government,” Mr Batchelor said.

“Ted Baillieu’s policy on renewable energy would see billions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs driven interstate. “His approach to wind farms is bad for the environment, bad for jobs and bad for investment in regional Victoria.

“Ted Baillieu wants to be Premier of Victoria but he won’t stand up for Victorian jobs and the Victorian economy.”

Mr Batchelor said the Department of Planning and Community Development had approved the Moorabool wind farm project under delegation and the Governor-in-Council had approved the permit for the Yaloak South project, with conditional planning permits issued for each project.

“The Yaloak South and Moorabool wind farm projects were assessed concurrently to ensure proper consideration was given to the cumulative impact of these separate but nearby developments,” Mr Batchelor said.

The Yaloak South and Moorabool wind energy facility advisory committee and planning panel reports can be viewed online on the Department of Planning and Community Development website.

www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning