Golden Plain Shire offers significant opportunities for renewable energy development, particularly for wind farms. The Shire is the ideal location for renewable energy production, with vast tracts of largely unencumbered land, attractive climatic conditions, and close proximity to the Victorian power grid, workforce and the Port of Geelong.
Mt Mercer Wind Farm
The Mt Mercer Wind Farm was identified in April 2005 using Energy site selection criteria and by November 2008 it received the final planning permit from the Victorian Planning Minister.
In 2009, the Mt Mercer Wind Farm Project was sold as a greenfield site and construction began in December 2012, with generation commencing in November 2013. By December 2014, the Mt Mercer Wind Farm became fully operational.
The wind farm is owned by Mt Mercer Windfarm Pty Ltd, which is wholly owned by Australian Renewables Income Fund. Australian Renewables Income Fund is a wholesale unlisted unit trust and is under management by Foresight Group Australia.
Berrybank Wind Farm
Berrybank Wind Farm is located 80 kms west of Geelong and features 69 wind turbines which produce 289MW of power for Victoria.
Operated by Global Power Generation Australia, the wind farm has 33 wind turbines in Golden Plains Shire and 36 wind turbines in Corangamite Shire. Construction of Berrybank Wind Farm commenced in 2019 and was completed in two stages. All turbines were operational by July 2023.
Berrybank Wind Farm Development Pty Ltd was a successful tenderer for the State Government's Victorian Renewable Energy Target Reverse Auction, which saw the wind farm awarded a 15-year power supply agreement with the State Government.
Golden Plains Wind Farm
The Golden Plains Wind Farm is a state-significant project that will be Australia’s largest wind farm to date and power more than 765,000 homes. This $3 billion+ project is a landmark clean energy project for Victoria and Australia.
Golden Plains Wind Farm – East (Stage 1) commenced construction in Q1 2023 and will feature 122 turbines and is currently owned by Ingka Group and TagEnergy.
Golden Plains Wind Farm – West (Stage 2) of the project is owned by WestWind Energy and is expected to commence construction in early 2024.
West Wind Energy are the proponent for this project.
Moreton Hill Wind Farm
The proposed Moreton Hill Wind Farm is located on Wadawurrung Country, about 35km southwest of Ballarat, Victoria.
The wind farm will have up to 62 turbines, producing enough electricity to power around 260,000 homes and prevent almost 350,000 tonnes of emissions annually.
The windfarm will connect into the electricity network via an existing 220kV powerline to the Berrybank terminal station approximately nine kilometres south of the wind farm.
For more information on renewable energy opportunities in Golden Plains Shire, contact Council's Economic Development Team on 5220 7111 or email [email protected]