Hunter Valley to get renewable energy farm

A $190 million renewable energy farm powering 47,000 Hunter Valley homes will be up and running within the next few years after it was given planning approval by the NSW government.

The Kyoto Energy Park near Scone will feature up to 100 hectares of solar panels, 34 wind turbines and a hydroelectric generator when it is completed by 2013.

The farm will produce up to 113 MW of renewable energy, with the carbon savings equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off the road each year. NSW Premier Kristina Keneally said the farm, to be built and run by private firm Pamada Pty Ltd, was a "model for future power generation".

"NSW would like to see more clean, green infrastructure projects like the Kyoto Energy Park that support jobs and our low carbon economy," Keneally said.

"I am very pleased to see this project moving forward. It is part of the government's plan to support reliable sources of renewable decentralised energy."

She said 183 construction jobs would be created by the project, and 12 continuing jobs on the energy park. Construction will begin in 2011 and is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.

Since 2004, the NSW government and local councils have approved 17 wind farms across the state, the biggest being the Silverton Wind Farm at Broken Hill. The $2.2 billion project, the largest in Australia, will generate enough power to supply an average of 437,500 homes - an estimated 4.5% of the state's electricity needs.

Source: AAP NewsWire