North west Queensland's first wind and solar farm looks set to take advantage of Hughenden's endless sunny days and breezy nights.
The Kennedy Energy Park project is in the final approval stages and will cater to north Queensland's growing energy demand, helping to lighten energy costs and the inconvenience of regular power outages.
Flinders Shire Council deputy mayor Ninian Stewart-Moore said the project will generate industry and employment for Hughenden and surrounds as well as ensuring more consistent power supply.
"We struggle with power here, it's expensive and unreliable," Cr Stewart-Moore said.
"A lot of electricity is lost in the coal fire transmission lines from Rockhampton to Hughenden because of the great distance.
"The copper string transmission project involved a high voltage transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa but that project fell over.
"We need this bigger project (wind and solar farm) to go ahead to compensate for the loss of the other."
Global wind energy development company Windlab is behind the Hughenden project that is expected to bring up to $3 billion of investment to north Queensland.
Windlab CEO Roger Price said the wind and solar farm will generate 1200 megawatts of renewable wind and solar energy at completion - enough to meet north Queensland's energy needs for the next two decades.
"The project will operate in two stages with 50 megawatts of wind and solar energy available during the first stage to demonstrate to the banks how effectively wind and solar can combine," Mr Price said.
"The second stage of the project will require significant investment and that will be our biggest hurdle.
"The bankers are cautious and they need everything tied in neat bows.
"But we're experienced, we’ve got 60 projects around the world, we understand the economics of these projects and Kennedy Energy Park ranks as one of the best in our portfolio."
Mr Price said that not only will the project put downward pressure on energy costs, it will also generate hundreds of jobs throughout the construction stages.
Cr Stewart-Moore said the employment created by the project will be a big boost for the community.
"We certainly hope the drought will be a distant memory by then but this project will help bring people back to the area," Cr Stewart-Moore said.
Cr Stewart-Moore said the wind and solar farm will be located about 20 kilometres east of Hughenden adjacent to the Flinders Highway.
"There's really nothing near it, it's quite remote and removed from habitation," Cr Stewart-Moore said.
Mr Price said the Kennedy project was a perfect match for Hughenden's unique geographical features.
"The project will cover 20 hectares and Hughenden is a part of Queensland with large lot sizes," Mr Price said.
"The area is known for its consistently sunny days and windy nights so the Kennedy project has the right characteristics to effectively meet base load demands."
Mr Price said the Kennedy wind and solar farm is a positive for all members of north west Queensland with renewable energy being sold back to the grid and no impact on agricultural production.
"The beauty of wind is that it has no effect on the surrounding land so wind and cattle grazing coexist happily," Mr Price said.
With construction expected to begin in the next two years and the project well supported by the Flinders shire, renewable energy is the next big thing to shine a light on Queensland's north west.
