Generating more than 154 megawatts is just the beginning for the MacIntyre Wind Farm.
In a pivotal moment for Australia’s renewable energy transition, ACCIONA Energía has announced that the initial 27 wind turbines at its MacIntyre Wind Farm in Queensland are now connected to the grid and generating the project’s first electricity.
This marks a significant milestone as the MacIntyre development takes its place as the largest operating wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere.
The turbines, providing a total of 154 megawatts (MW) of capacity, is just the beginning for the 923MW MacIntyre project.
Over the next 12 months, the remaining 135 turbines will be progressively connected, with another batch of 27 slated to start exporting power by Christmas.
Set to be fully operational in late 2025, the $1.96 billion farm will be able to generate enough renewable energy to power over 600,000 homes annually.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Australia’s diversification of its energy sources with the southern hemisphere’s largest operating wind farm now generating renewable energy,’’ ACCIONA Energia Managing Director Brett Wickham said.
“When the MacIntyre Wind Farm is fully operational, it will generate enough renewable energy to power more than 600,000 homes and double Queensland’s wind energy generation.”
An ambitious renewable project
Located about 50km southwest of Warwick in Southern Queensland, the MacIntyre Wind Farm covers a massive 32,000-hectare site straddling the Goondiwindi and Southern Downs regions.
Its 162 state-of-the-art Delta4000 turbines, each rated at 5.7MW, take advantage of the area’s consistently strong winds to generate pollution-free power.
When complete, the MacIntyre farm will almost double the total wind energy generated in Queensland.
The $680-plus million construction has acted as an economic boom for the state, employing over 1000 workers at peak times and procuring labour, services and materials across Queensland.
It is expected to support 35-40 permanent jobs once fully operational.
The project footprint was reduced by 20,000 square metres through an Australian-first use of specialty trucks to transport the massive turbine blades.
The wind farm is being developed as part of a broader renewable energy hub known as the MacIntyre Wind Precinct.
This includes the future 1000MW Herries Range Wind Farm which is in late-stage planning. Taken together, these co-located projects could eventually provide around 2000MW of energy for the state, enough to power over a million homes.
Decarbonisation commitments
A significant portion of MacIntyre’s output will go towards greening Queensland’s major industrial players.
Two Power Purchase Agreements totalling 550MW have been inked with government energy companies Stanwell Corporation and CleanCo.
This will help decarbonise emissions across sectors like infrastructure, resources, retail and transport.
In addition, Ark Energy – a subsidiary of joint venture partner Korea Zinc – plans to use its 30 per cent stake in the wind farm to support decarbonisation efforts at its Sun Metals zinc refinery in Townsville.
Sun Metals is aiming to become the world’s first producer of green zinc using renewable energy.
“Generation from MacIntyre is an exciting milestone that will help further decarbonise Sun Metals’ operations and progress our RE100 commitment to 100 per cent renewable power by 2040,” Ark Energy CEO Michael Choi said.
“Decarbonising industry and producing green metals will give Queensland exports a competitive advantage.”
Community benefits and economic impacts
The MacIntyre development has already generated substantial economic returns and employment. During peak construction over 1000 workers were on site, with one-third coming from nearby Darling Downs communities.
More than $115 million in subcontracts were awarded to over 80 local businesses.
ACCIONA has also committed at least $2.5 million in the first decade of operations to community programs, events and local initiatives in the region.
Indigenous engagement has been prioritised, with over 2 per cent of work hours by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel.
The project successfully coexists with livestock farms across its 36,000-hectare footprint, hosting nine landowners with sheep, goats and cattle.
As the South Downs Renewable Energy Zone takes shape, the MacIntyre precinct model allows coordinators to streamline community benefits like skills training, business opportunities, environmental efforts and First Nations partnerships.
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