Australian renewable energy developer Ark Energy has received planning approval for its inaugural project in Tasmania, a wind farm with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts. The Central Highlands Council granted the approval following a favorable assessment from the Environment Protection Authority, which concluded that “the proposal is capable of being managed in an environmentally acceptable manner.”
The St Patricks Plains Wind Farm will be located in Tasmania's Central Highlands region and will consist of 47 turbines. Originally planned with 67 turbines, the project was scaled down to mitigate environmental and visual impacts and address community concerns. The farm will be situated on properties primarily used for livestock grazing and forestry, with on-site grid connection facilities.
Ark Energy, a Brisbane-based company affiliated with Korea Zinc Co Ltd, still requires final consent under the EPBC Act from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) before construction can proceed.
In addition to the wind project, Ark Energy has submitted a development application for a 500-megawatt solar project in Myrtle Creek, New South Wales. This project will include a 275-megawatt/2,200-megawatt-hour battery storage facility utilizing lithium-iron phosphate technology. The solar project proposal is open for public feedback until August 21, 2024.
