Feasibility licence applications for WA’s first offshore wind zone closed late last month,
and while proponents wait to see if they have been successful, it is onshore wind farms
that are grabbing headlines.

Energy, Environment and Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby told a CEDA event last year that the economic imperative for offshore wind power is not as strong in WA as elsewhere.

He has said frequently that WA’s future power mix would feature a mix of rooftop solar, onshore wind backed by large-scale battery storage and firmed by gas as required.

In late December, he announced the expansion of the Warradarge Wind Farm in the
Mid West and construction of the King River Wind Farm in the Eastern Wheatbelt.

Contractor Vestas was chosen for both projects.

At Warradarge, Vestas will supply and construct 30 additional turbines, increasing the project's capacity equivalent to the average annual electricity needs of 164,000
households in WA.

The State Government has committed $30 million to the $400 million expansion, which is expected to be completed by 2027, and forms part of the $5.7 billion invested in WA's
clean energy future since 2017.

The wind farm builds on Synergy's existing onshore wind portfolio, which is supported by the recent investments in two large-scale batteries in Kwinana and a third in
Collie that is currently under construction.

Synergy’s King Rocks Wind Farm features 17 wind turbines with capacity to power up to 70,000 average homes in WA.

Construction is expected to create 200 jobs in regional WA.

The State Government has committed $513 million towards the project.

Other onshore wind farms being proposed include:

• The Parron Wind Farm, north of the Badgingarra National Park. It will have up to 79 turbines capable of producing up to 489MW.
  The company is aiming to have the wind farm operational by 2028.
• The Narrogin Wind Farm, by Neoen, between Narrogin and Williams. It would comprise up to 25 turbines producing 200 MW.
• Water Corporation’s Flat Rock Wind Farm Stage 2. Planned for an area 20km southeast of Kojonup and 25km southwest of Broomehill.
  It is planned to produce up to 1000MW.
• Bellwether Wind Farm, by Acciona, in the Wheatbelt. The plan is to build 400 turbines on 100,000 hectares of farmland across Narrogin,
  Wagin, Williams, and West Arthur with a capacity to produce about 3GW of power.
• The Ambrosia Wind Farm, by Green Wind Energy, near Collie. The plan is for 100 turbines to produce 600MG of power.

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