Acciona Energía has announced the successful connection of the first 27 wind turbines at the 923 MW MacIntyre Wind Farm in Queensland, Australia, contributing an operational capacity of 154 MW to the grid. The wind farm is expected to progressively reach its full capacity over the next twelve months.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm will utilize 162 Delta4000 turbines, each with a capacity of 5.7 MW. The energy produced will be supplied under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to Queensland's publicly owned energy generator, Stanwell Corporation, and to CleanCo, Queensland's public electricity company.
Additionally, Ark Energy, an Australian subsidiary of Korea Zinc that holds a 30% stake in the project, plans to utilize a portion of the generated energy to decarbonize its sister company, Sun Metals Corporation, and its refinery in Townsville. This initiative supports Sun Metals' ambition to become the world's first producer of green zinc.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm is part of the larger 2 GW MacIntyre Wind Precinct, which also includes the Herries Range Wind Farm, approximately 1 GW, currently in late-stage development. Once fully operational, these projects will nearly double the amount of wind energy generated in Queensland.
During the construction phase, the project has employed an average of 400 to 500 workers, peaking at over 1,000.
