Wind farms are becoming an increasingly common sight in Australia – but they don’t just spring up out of nowhere. Here’s what needs to happen before a wind farm can be built, and what it means for your community. 

Wind is a renewable energy source, which means it can be replenished naturally and used to produce electricity with no greenhouse gas emissions during operations. 

As the world moves towards a net zero emissions future, and Queensland works towards a target of 80 per cent renewable energy by 2035, it’s increasingly important that the power of wind is harnessed to its full potential. 

Wind energy is produced by wind turbines, which convert the natural movement of the air into mechanical energy through the rotation of turbine blades. A generator in the turbine’s nacelle converts this mechanical energy into electricity, which is sent to the electrical grid.

These turbines are generally between 150 and 270 metres tall, from the ground to the tip of the blade – and more than 2,000 new turbines will be required in Queensland to reach the State Government’s renewable energy targets.

So where will they go, and what will happen once they’re there? Here’s what you need to know about how wind farms are developed and operated. 

The life cycle of a wind farm 

Stage one: Site selection 

Approximately one to six months 

Wind speed is crucial to achieving the most efficient and lowest cost power generation. That’s why turbines are usually grouped together in farms located in high and consistently windy areas, where wind resources are strongest. 

But it’s not simply a matter of finding the windiest spot and calling it a day. In Queensland, there are limits on the extent of clearing required to construct and operate a wind farm, and every new  facility is required to be appropriately located to ensure it avoids, minimises and mitigates any adverse impacts it might have on the natural environment, vegetation, and associated ecological processes. 

This is why wind farms tend to be located on or near agricultural land, rather than in forest areas or in densely populated communities.  

It’s also why selecting a site for a wind farm can be a long and involved process, requiring developers to consult with the community and work with experts to prepare reports detailing the wind farm’s potential impacts. 

Many of Queensland’s new wind farms will be located within Queensland Renewable Energy Zones (QREZs), close to energy storage technologies and high-voltage transmission lines. These QREZs are designated regions that have been established across the state to accelerate clean energy projects and ensure renewable energy can reach homes and businesses with minimal transmission loss.  

Stage two: Project feasibility 

Approximately one to two years 

At this stage, the developer builds a business case for the wind farm, installs monitoring devices to ensure the site’s wind resources are as strong as expected, and meets with landowners to secure the right to use the land. 

While wind turbines are quite tall, their bases typically only take up a small portion of the land on which they’re located. This can make wind farms an attractive proposition for farmers, because they can continue their normal grazing and cropping activities around the turbines, while securing a second income stream from hosting the wind farm on their land. 

Stage three: Planning and approvals 

Approximately one to two years

Wind farms approvals in Australia are subject to assessment under both State and Federal government planning controls and environmental assessment criteria. 

In Queensland, wind farms are regulated under the planning system to ensure they support the environment and surrounding communities, and minimise impact on: 

• Air services and aircraft operations 

• Risks to people, property and quality of life 

• The natural environment, vegetation and associated ecological processes 

• Scenic amenity 

• Transport networks and road infrastructure

This means that if, for instance, a visual impact assessment report identifies that a wind farm could have a negative impact on scenic amenity, then appropriate measures must be taken to minimise that impact. 

At the federal level, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, ensures wind farms also protect areas of national environmental significance, including: 

• World Heritage properties 

• National Heritage places 

• Ramsar wetlands of international importance 

• Listed threatened species and communities 

• Migratory species protected under international agreements 

• The Commonwealth marine environment 

Community consultation forms part of the Department’s assessment of a proposed wind farm’s environmental impacts, and conditions – including requirements to avoid, mitigate, monitor or offset environmental impacts – can be attached to an approval. 

Traditional Owners must also be consulted and cultural heritage assessments must be completed, to ensure wind farm projects support and protect areas of cultural significance.  

Stage four: Construction and development 

Approximately one to two years 

Wind farm developers work with contractors, local communities, neighbours and local councils to plan and manage construction to minimise disturbance. For instance, work should be carried out during standard construction hours wherever possible, and where it’s necessary to work outside these hours, affected stakeholders should be communicated with. 

The construction of a wind farm requires heavy vehicles to travel to and from the site regularly, transporting turbine blades and sections of the turbine tower, as well as equipment such as cabling, fencing and machinery, and raw materials such as sand, cement and gravel.

In Queensland, the planning instrument 'State Code 23: Wind Farm Development' requires these construction activities associated with the development of wind farms to not adversely impact transport networks and road infrastructure.

Heavy vehicle movements must be carefully planned to minimise disruption to the community.

Because wind farms tend to be located in regional areas, the influx of workers during construction can have a significant economic impact on the local community, benefiting the local hospitality, accommodation, tourism and transport sectors. 

Stage five: Commissioning and operations 

Approximately 25 to 30 years 

Wind farms typically have a life cycle of 25 to 30 years. As long as they’re properly maintained, the turbines will remain highly efficient throughout these years. 

During this operational period, wind turbines won’t emit greenhouse gases, fine particle pollution, sulphur dioxide or nitrogen oxides.

Wind farms require very little water during operation, and don’t pose a significant risk of groundwater pollution.

Emissions are created as part of the manufacturing, transport, installation, maintenance and decommissioning processes. But each wind turbine turbine will generally offset these emissions during the first year of its operation, depending on wind speed and site-specific factors, so a typical wind farm will generally become carbon neutral in less than one year of operation. 

Wind farms also create wealth and jobs for local communities in regional areas. This includes jobs in the construction, manufacturing and operation of renewable energy assets such as wind turbines, as well as jobs in established and emerging industries that will be unlocked by the low emissions and low-cost electricity these assets generate once operational. 

Stage six: Re-powering or decommissioning the wind farm 

Approximately six months 

At the end of a wind farm’s life cycle, the turbines can be re-permitted and new turbines can be installed, so they can continue to operate – and continue to generate low-cost, zero-emissions energy for our communities.

Alternatively, wind farms are decommissioned, all above-ground infrastructure is removed, and the site is rehabilitated and revegetated, so the land where the turbines stood can be returned to its former use.