Construction has begun on the Mt Gellibrand wind farm, a project aiming to generate electricity to power more than 60,000 households.
The new 132MW windfarm, located 17km west of Winchelsea, is the result of the first round of successful tenderers in the Andrews Labor Government’s Renewable Certificate Purchasing Initiative (RCPI). This will bring forward capital investment of around $258 million in the Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm.
Acting Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lisa Neville said, “We’re supporting clean energy initiatives such as the Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm because it will deliver more than $200 million of new investment and create hundreds of local jobs.”
The other wind farm being supported by the RCPI is the 30MW Kiata Windfarm which is already under construction northwest of Horsham. The purchase of certificates directly from these two wind farms will create around 200 construction jobs.
Ms Neville said, “Thanks to our support, the developer has now been able to secure investment in the full 132MW wind farm, which will local create jobs and bring forward a total investment of more than $250 million.”
Victorian Renewable Energy Advocate Simon Corbell said, “Through this initiative the Victorian Government is using its purchasing power as a large electricity consumer to boost investment in renewables and create new jobs for Victorians.”
Construction of the Mt Gellibrand wind farm is due to be completed by mid-2018.
