By Jeremy Cook
When the MacIntyre and Herries wind farms are fully built, farmer Brent Finlay will have about 330 wind turbines in view of his verandah.
Already, more than 30 wind turbines alone occupy space on his property south west of Warwick.
But Mr Finlay, who represented Australian farmers for three years as the President of the National Farmers Federation, admitted “not everybody likes them”.
The turbines on his farm will form just a slice of one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world. Once complete, Acciona’s MacIntyre wind farm will hold up to 180 turbines capable of producing enough power for an estimated 700,000 households.
“We’re only at the start of the development of this industry,” Mr Finlay said.
Mr Finlay was first approached by renewable developers with offers to host wind turbines more than a decade ago and acknowledged it was not an easy decision to make. But now, particularly for agriculturalists, he believes the future is here.
“For this region here … it’s a chance to be able to diversify away from an agricultural industry into a renewable energy industry,” Mr Finlay said.
“To actually have income that isn’t linked to the weather, that isn’t linked to the impacts of drought.”
Recent wind farm proposals in communities like Allora and Greymare have proved contentious amongst residents and rural landholders.
It’s only the start of what could be a renewables boom in the Southern Downs.
In March, the state government earmarked the region as one of five potential renewable energy zones (REZ) in Southern Queensland, and 12 statewide, as it looks to drive investment in wind and solar projects.
Each REZ will be connected to the government’s proposed $62 billion “supergrid” which aims to have 80 per cent of the state’s electricity network powered through renewables by 2035.
While Southern Downs Regional Council will play no part in the approval process of renewable energy proposals, Mayor Melissa Hamilton wants any future projects to provide some sort of net benefit for the region.
“If we’re going to have renewable energy projects in our region, then personally I would like to see stronger conditions around the approvals regarding housing and roads, so that these projects are contributing to our infrastructure,” Cr Hamilton said.
“I am joining with my fellow Mayors across the Darling Downs and South West to call for more investment dollars and profits staying within our region.
“Renewable energy projects offer our farmers an additional income stream that helps them get through tough times.
“Provided the projects are located in appropriate areas then I think we need to support our farmers in the decisions they’re making to keep their businesses viable into the future.”
Southern Downs MP James Lister has been less enthused by recent talk of renewable projects in his electorate, rallying in a letter to the state’s energy minister for them to be located further west where only compensated landholders will be impacted.
A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said he had “not yet read the letter” from Mr Lister, but “will respond in due course”.
Speaking in parliament in May, Mr Lister urged the state government to “reconsider the renewable energy zones and include communities and local government more closely in consultation about these things”.
As debate brews on the topic, Mr Finlay said he could understand the concerns swirling in the community.
“When you look at the number of proposed developments there are in Queensland currently and then the landholders that are involved in those developments, there’s certainly a lot now, but there’s going to be a lot more,” he said.
What he could see from his house though, for him, was not of too much concern
“Where I’m standing now I can probably see 70 or 80 turbines now,” Mr Finlay said.
“It doesn’t worry me too much.”
