Source : Perth Now news
Construction of a controversial wind farm that sparked high profile opposition has begun more than 10 years after the project was first proposed.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held on Wednesday at the Palmer Wind Farm site, 60km east of Adelaide. The farm is projected to deliver enough renewable energy to power up to 142,000 South Australian homes.
Tilt Renewables’ 288-megawatt project overcame significant community opposition to be one of two major wind farms that began construction in the state on Wednesday.
Leading renewable energy company Neoen also launched stage one of its build in the state’s midnorth – the 346-megawatt Goyder North Wind Farm.
The combined wind farms are expected to power more than 500,000 homes and contribute one-fifth of SA’s annual electricity needs.
Palmer Wind Farm was first flagged in 2014 and backed by the federal government’s Capacity Investment Scheme, aimed at underwriting and accelerating green projects.
It was scaled back from 103 turbines to 40 following community backlash and a state development court ruling that took years to conclude.
The AFL’s then-CEO Gillon McLachlan was among four groups that launched legal action against the project, which was located adjacent to his family’s century-old sheep and cattle station.
They appealed to the Environment, Resources and Development Court which ruled in 2018 the wind farm could still be built despite the “substantial” local opposition.
The local Mid Murray Council said on Wednesday there had been strong community opposition during the planning approval process, including the most recent variation approved by the State Commission Assessment Panel.
“Council will continue to work with Tilt Renewables, the community and relevant stakeholders to help ensure construction impacts are well managed,” it said.
More than 200 construction jobs are set to be created by the controversial project.
At the Goyder North Wind Farm, Vestas has been contracted to install 48 wind turbines at the Neoen project’s site. It is expected to boost the state’s wind generation by around 10 per cent from 2029.
The project is underpinned by Neoen’s 10-year agreement to supply BHP with 100-megawatts of renewable energy to power its Olympic Dam, Carrapateena and Prominent Hill copper mines in SA.
It is expected to create about 500 construction jobs.
The pipeline of SA renewable energy projects either approved, already in production or in their building phase, climbed to nearly $39 billion, compared to $19 billion this time in 2025, the state government said.
It includes 37 projects worth $6.6 billion currently operational.
