Modified plans for $2bn Liverpool Range Wind Farm approved for development

A new large-scale wind farm is a step closer to being built in the Central West region of New South Wales after the State Government approved the Modification Application for the project. 

The approximately $2 billion Liverpool Range Wind Farm was first approved for development in 2018 and a modification to the project scope was sought in 2022 to utilise more efficient technology to increase its energy generation with fewer turbines. 

Following community consultation, the number of turbines has now been reduced from 267 to 185 to help decrease the visual impacts of the wind farm 

Although there are less turbines, the Liverpool Range Wind Farm’s maximum energy generation capacity has increased by 370MW. The wind farm is now estimated to generate 1.3GW of green energy, enough to power 730,000 homes across New South Wales. 

Additional power generation was made possible through the use of more efficient turbines as well as by increasing the maximum wind turbine height from 165 to 215 metres. 

Tilt Renewables, the project developer, will be using Vestas V172 7.2MW turbines for the Liverpool Range Wind Farm. 

“NSW is leading a once-in-a-generation upgrade of the electricity network by building the infrastructure we need to power our state into the future. 

“The Liverpool Range Wind Farm will generate jobs during its construction and operational phases, while also providing long-lasting benefits to the local area through community contributions over the life of the project. 

“This is a good example of the applicant working with the local community and the final result being material changes to the proposal that address visual impacts,” Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said. 

Once up and running, the Liverpool Range Wind Farm will help prevent 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere across the State during its first full year of operations. 

The wind farm is going to be built within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), about 370 kilometres north west of Sydney – between the townships of Coolah and Cassilis. 

Liverpool Range Wind Farm is expected to create about 550 jobs during construction and up to 40 jobs once operational. 

Due to the shortage of rental accommodation in the local area, the project will now also include the construction of a Temporary Workforce Accommodation near Coolah to accommodate the large number of workers that will help deliver the large-scale wind farm. 

The local community is also set to benefit from the project with $35 million to be delivered to local councils through Voluntary Planning Agreements. 

Source: NSW Government – Media Releases; Tilt Renewables (1, 2, 3); Renew Economy; Renewables Now