Ark Energy has announced that it will no longer be developing the Western Plains Wind Farm, saying that demand for bigger projects delivered sooner has changed the company’s focus.
Progress in the renewable energy industry and the need for more renewable energy capacity to be delivered sooner has accelerated. The size, wind turbine capacity and total output capacity of projects has been increasing rapidly.
With a proposed output capacity of 50.4MW, the project was the smallest in Ark Energy’s portfolio, which is why it has now been withdrawn from the planning process.
While the tip of the Stanley peninsula is an exceptionally windy location and the world leading wind resource makes it an excellent site for a wind farm, Ark Energy said that the scale of the project no longer fits with the priorities of its portfolio.
Ark Energy said that the project team has many people to thank for their input and contribution to this project over the past six years.
The team thanked all those in Stanley and the wider north-west Tasmania community who engaged with Ark Energy and also to Circular Head Council and other important stakeholders for their consideration.
The team also thanked the many private landowners who were involved, in particular the owners of the site for the opportunity to progress the project and for their unwavering support. The team also acknowledged their respectful stewardship of large areas of the Stanley peninsula.
Ark Energy’s team also said that it appreciates the input and engagement of the various advisers and consultants who have been involved in this project.
Ark Energy said that it believes the only way forward for Australia is to transition swiftly to renewable energy. The company remains committed to its other utility-scale wind farm projects in Tasmania and around the country.
