The Australian government has given the green light for the development of a 900-megawatt wind farm by the Australian subsidiary of the Philippines-based energy company ACEN. 

The Robbins Island Wind project, which will be located on Robbins Island in the state of Tasmania, has been approved after a process that took over seven years and numerous court appeals. 

However, despite the approval, ACEN Australia still has to work through the numerous conditions that came with the clearance.

“The decision shows that large, complex projects can be delivered responsibly, balancing overall impacts and conserving biodiversity, with the need for clean energy to address climate change,” ACEN Australia managing director David Pollington says. 

The approval comes “at a time when Australia faces a stalling energy transition and looming power shortages as coal exits the system”, Pollington adds. 

Economic benefits

The A$3 billion ( US$1.96 billion ) project is expected to generate enough power for up to 500,000 homes, create up to 400 construction jobs, and deliver more than A$30 million annually into the Tasmanian economy, as well as A$27 million in community benefits for the region. It is expected to be operational as early as 2030. 

Pollington notes that the Robbins Island project has “an exceptional resource, generating 30% more power than the average Australian wind project of comparable size”.  

Following the initial approval by the Australian federal government, ACEN Australia will now work through the detailed approval conditions to understand their implications for project design and ongoing environmental monitoring.

The company is also preparing its transmission proposal for the project. The transmission line, which will connect the project to the grid,  has a separate approval process, anticipated to be completed by 2026.

“[This] reflects the depth and rigour of ACEN’s work to address the assessment criteria and scrutiny applied through the approvals process,” Pollington adds.

ACEN Corporation, backed by the Philippines’ Ayala Group, has a global portfolio with about 7 gigawatts of attributable renewable energy capacity, including operational, under-construction, and committed projects.