A North Queensland renewable energy business has announced plans to build a 1000MW wind farm on grazing land north of Hughenden.

The proposed Mount James Wind Farm would include 200 wind turbines and is expected to cost up to $2 billion to develop.

North Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (NQREZ) executive director Dr John Keir said the project would deliver renewable clean energy to support the growth of the North West Minerals Province.

“A project like this not only provides sustainable benefit to the north, but it increases the decarbonisation of Australia as a whole,” he said.

“It would be a major step in the right direction for the sustainable jobs and diversified infrastructure the State Government is seeking,’’ Dr Keir said.

The site landowners,  who are shareholders of the NQREZ, see the potential for the utilisation of their land

NQREZ says it could unlock Australia’s best co-located wind and solar resources due to its proximity to the proposed CopperString 2.0 electricity transmission line.

“The aim of the wind farm is to provide increasingly resilient low-cost energy supplies, lower emissions and create hundreds of jobs,” Dr Keir said.

Site acquisition, feasibility and planning studies have been completed for the project.

Dr Keir said approvals and permitting were likely within 12 months, with financing expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2021 ahead of the anticipated construction start date of early 2022.